Heart of a Phoenix
by Uchihalover12
Summary: FULL SUMMARY INSIDE. In league with Akatsuki, an espionage mission in Konoha, the trials of a Genin, the drama of a ninja...Can she handle all the deception before it pulls her under? Sasuke/oc Itachi/oc
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

Full Summary

Hikari Phoenix, a girl taken in by the Akatsuki at a very young age, has become a ninja that goes beyond Anbu level with the help of her friends and teachers among the Akatsuki and around the world. Having ties to many dangerous and mysterious people would bring most people to the brink of insanity, but surprisingly, Hikari doesn't mind. In fact, she seems kinder and more caring than any other person. She once only craved power but soon found out that there was something greater than that.

Her blank memory from the age of 6 and younger is still a mystery but she's not overly concerned. "The past is behind us." All she wants now is to reawaken the love that she and a certain Uchiha once shared so long ago and to reunite with her best friends from Konoha. She knows that Sasuke is long gone because of his brother but she still had Naruto.

What would happen if Pein were to assign her and Itachi a mission to infiltrate Konoha? Worse, they would be forced to stay there for six months straight. Forced to stay in a place where their darkest memories and greatest moments took place, at least for Hikari that is. And what would happen if she found out that Sasuke was actually alive after all these years? Is their any chance of restoring their friendship? What about Itachi and Hikari's past relationship? Is it time for her to finally move on or will she find someone special in Konoha?

**Follows the Manga almost completely**. The only differences are the extra scenes. Everything else is the same.

Heart of a Phoenix

Prologue: The Past and the Future

No ones Pov

Two cloaked figures walked silently through a forest. It rained continuously from the night sky but they didn't mind it. The tallest figure was a man in his early 20's. He had spiky red hair and piercing all over his face. The other figure was a slightly younger woman with cerulean hair and piercing eyes. Red clouds were sewn into their cloaks.

They walked on for a few moments but stopped when they noticed something in a clearing. The man approached the figure and saw a young girl, no more than 6 years old unconscious and curled up. She had wounds all over her body and she was gripping a kunai with all her might.

He looked to the woman apathetically and she nodded in response to the question in his eyes. He picked up the girl and held her firmly in his arms. They both made a hand sign and transported.

Girl's Pov

I woke up to the sound and warmth of a crackling fire. I didn't open my eyes. I had an almost unbearable headache and I didn't know what was happening. I couldn't think of anything. I had no idea where I was or why I was here. No ones name or face came to mine. The only thing I remembered was passing out in the rain. But it wasn't raining anymore.

I opened my auburn eyes slightly as the pain subsided and looked around silently. A fire glowed beside me and a woman sat beside it on the opposite side of me. Her lilac hair fell passed her shoulders and it reflected in the moonlight. A man stood against a tree close by me. Both their eyes were closed as if they were in deep thought. They both wore black cloaks with red cloud designs.

I sat up quietly as I pushed the blanket off of me gently. I kept my eyes fixated on the man as I moved in the opposite direction, trying to get away, but to no prevail. I stepped on a twig and it snapped loudly and both their eyes flew open and they stared at me. I froze, terrified of their sharp gazes.

The man stood tall and I turned to face him. A second passed and he was right in front of me and his hand gripped both my wrists firmly and his other hand was at my throat. He held me firmly but not hard enough to hurt. In another second I was pinned to the tree he was leaning on earlier. I was hanging above the ground and his rough hand around my throat started to shorten my breathing.

I struggled, trying to get free. I kicked him as best as I could and I attempted to pull my hands from his grip. He seemed to ignore my strife as he kept his eyes on mine. I couldn't take my eyes away from his. They bored into the depths of my mind it seemed and no emotion was seen in his.

After a while I thrashed a little harder as I took my eyes from his. "Let me go!" I exclaimed as I kicked him hard in the stomach. He tensed slightly at the impact but he didn't show any pain. Instead, he gripped my throat harder and I could barely catch a breath.

I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on breathing while I thought of an idea. Seeing no way to get out I finally stopped struggling and glared daggers at the man. He kept his composed demeanor at all times and his apathetic eyes didn't change.

"What do you want," I gasped, trying to breathe. He didn't say anything, instead he let go of my hands and I moved quickly. I reached up to my throat and held myself up to keep from choking. I closed my eyes and opened them quickly, activating my Sharingan.

He finally made a gesture. A smirk of course. "You're a spirited one, aren't you?" he stated impassively. I only frowned at the statement and tried to pull his hand away. . "And you have the Sharingan. Perhaps you are an Uchiha?" His smirk grew wider and his eyes bored deeper into mine. His hand didn't budge and I closed my eyes in defeat and sighed. I couldn't do anything more.

"What do you want with me?" I asked again without fear. I didn't open my eyes and I kept my voice low.

"I merely want an answer to why you were unconscious in a forest in the midst of a downpour," he replied. He tightened his grip when I didn't answer and I opened my eyes as I pulled myself up higher to breathe.

"I… don't remember," I said honestly as I looked into his eyes bravely. Deep down I was terrified that he was going to kill me. To my surprise he dropped me and I hit the ground with a thud. I looked up at him and glared. His smirk faded and he bent down to my eye level.

"Tell me…," he said lowly. "What's your name?" I hesitated as I looked from him to the woman and back.

"H-Hikari," I replied as I pressed myself back against the tree, wanting to get away, but not knowing why.

"Your last name?" he pressed. "Are you an Uchiha?"

"I don't know," I said quietly as I averted my crimson eyes from his. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. I cringed at his touch but didn't attempt to make a move.

"Don't know," he pulled a kunai from his cloak and pressed it against my throat. "Or won't tell?" I let my fear show for a slight second then tried to compose myself but it didn't work. He saw the fear in my eyes and smirked.

"I don't know!" I replied loudly, shaking slightly as the cold metal almost pierced my skin. He let me go swiftly and lifted me up by the arm until I was standing. The woman rose and walked over to us swiftly.

She did several hand signs and I made sure to copy them with my Sharingan. She placed a hand on my forehead and I felt dizzy. After a moment she lifted her hand and looked slightly startled. She looked to the man as I fell forward from the feeling in my head. He caught me in his firm arms and sat me down.

"Amnesia," she said softly. "From what I can tell, she is missing all memory of people and past events. She may be a part of the Uchiha clan but I find that unlikely. We are no where close to Konoha and they wouldn't let a mere child travel alone or even leave the village without a guardian."

He looked back to me and seemed to study my appearance. "The only resemblance to an Uchiha is her body built and her Sharingan," he said with his normal tone. "Other than that she is completely different." I managed to look up at him, still feeling the effects of the woman's jutsu.

"Pein, what's your opinion?" She asked. He didn't remove his gaze from me.

"…She could be of some use to us," he replied as he bent down again. I became fully aware now as his face inched closer to mine until we were less than a foot away. "Hikari… come with us."

I looked at them both, trying to look unafraid. "Why should I?" I asked quickly, earning a glare from him. I picked up my sole kunai and held it firmly. It was different. It was black with a red rose design wrapped around it and the rose's "thorns" stuck out of the knife less than half a millimeter. It didn't hurt to hold but it would be painful to squeeze.

"Because," he began. I was quickly pinned to the ground on my stomach and he had one foot on my middle back and he pressed down hard. His hand held the kunai again and his other hand arched my neck up so the kunai rested right underneath my throat. My kunai lay uselessly at my side. "You're weak."

I became extremely angry and scared all at once. "I am not weak!" I screamed childishly. "Get off me! I'll prove it!" Pein, to my surprise was off and I was standing without knowing what had happened. He was standing across from me. Suddenly, he appeared behind me and I quickly turned and flipped backwards. I threw my only kunai at him and he blocked it easily.

I charged at him and attempted to punch him. He moved quickly and I managed to follow him barely with my Sharingan. He hit me hard in the side and I crashed into another tree. I looked up at him angrily. I was blinded by my new found hate for him. I jumped up quickly and swung wildly and missed when he disappeared. He pinned me to the ground in the same position as I was in earlier.

"Slow reflexes… Barely able to use your Sharingan…. Blinded by anger easily. You _are_ weak." His voice held serious authority and I almost started to tear.

He released me slowly and stood in front of me. I didn't bother moving, knowing that he was in charge of this situation. He lifted my chin up and said something that shocked me.

"I can make you stronger," he said seriously. "Will you come with me?" He offered me his hand as I sat up and looked at him in astonishment. His face was deadly solemn as he looked me in the eyes. I looked to the woman and she had a solemn face on as she looked at me.

I looked back to the man. "You'll make me stronger?" I asked in disbelief. There had to be a catch. "Who are you and what are you thinking?" He blinked slowly as if in thought.

"Pein," he said evenly. "As for what I'm thinking about…You'll have to figure it out yourself." He smirked evilly and I gulped involuntarily which caused him to chuckle slightly. Seeing that I had no other choice I grabbed his hand and he helped me up.

"Fine. I'll play your game," I said as I crossed my arms over my chest in annoyance, still hating the man. "But, only if you promise to give me power." I smirked and he looked at me slyly.

"I swear that I will bring out your full potential," he says impassively. Konan nodded in agreement as she stepped towards us. And with that all three of us disappeared into the night.


	2. Chapter 2: Mission and Part of the Past

The Mission and Part of the Past

Hikari's Pov

I walked down the halls of the Akatsuki hideout. My black cloak with red clouds wound around me snug but comfortably. Blond, layered bangs fly in front of my face as I walk quickly. It is late at night and my leader has summoned me. My face is an emotionless mask as I open the doors to the meeting chamber.

The room is huge. The walls and floor are made of pure stone and have been carved equally on each side. A long table stood in the center and 5 chairs were on each side. At the head of the table was the chair where our leader sits. His head rested on the top of his hands and his elbows were perched on the table. He stared straight ahead.

I knelt as the doors closed behind me. "You called leader," I stated with respect. He removed one of his hands from under his chin. "Yes. Rise and be seated Hikari," he said casually as he motioned for me to stand.

I stood up and walked to the table. I pulled out a seat, the closest one to him on his left side, and sat down with grace. I placed my hands squarely on the table, one on top of the other and waited for him to continue. When he didn't I grew agitated but I didn't let it faze my face. He stared straight ahead, deep in thought.

"Pein, the mission?" I prodded without raising my voice. He looked at me casually before speaking. ~He doesn't usually get side-tracked when he gives us missions.~ I thought. ~Wonder what's bothering him.~

"Ah yes," he began as he sat up straight, fixing his composer to show his true position. His face was hard and serious now. "You know of Konoha in the Fire Country." I nodded. "You haven't been there in years." I nodded again.

"It's been 4 years," I said casually. "I've always wanted to visit Itachi's home again." I had made so many memories with him and two others there but the truth was that I never wished to return. Not after what he and Madara sensei had committed.

Pein smiled crookedly at the remark then continued. "Your next mission will take place in Konoha. It will be an undercover operation and will last up to six months." I nodded and then looked at him with questioning eyes. ~six _months_?~

"How do you propose that I stay hidden for that length of time," I asked solemnly. I looked at him while trying to keep an emotionless face. He smirked, obviously seeing that I had trouble keeping my face like that.

Pein reached into a black satchel and pulled out a scroll. He opened it up slowly as he spoke. "You're still young Hikari. Only 14 and perfect for this operation." He laid the scroll out on the table so I could examine it.

My eyes widened in shock after scanning it over. ~_What?!_~ I grabbed it and clenched the edges. I quickly put my eyes back in a serious stare as I read it over more carefully. I looked to Pein and he smiled in amusement. "You can't be serious," I said in disbelief. ~And to think, I was _somewhat_ excited to go but now… ~

He smirked wider as he caught me off guard. "You will be attending the ninja academy in Konoha for the time period. Posing as a Genin. Your objective is to gain the trust of the higher council members and the Hokage," he explains. "Start gaining respect from your classmates then begin moving forward to higher ranks."

"So I'm only going to gain their trust?" I asked with slight annoyance in my voice. I tapped my fingers on the table. "That doesn't seem like a mission that fits my potential." My annoyance leaked through more and Pein smirked as he noticed this. ~And as a _Genin?!_~ I quickly tried to return my voice to normal before speaking again. "How am I supposed to blend in with the other students?"

"In the beginning," Pein began. "Only use higher level jutsu in near death situations. This should help cover up the fact that you're beyond Anbu level. Also, don't perform any forbidden jutsu at any time. That is a direct order." I nodded at this but still could not believe that I was going to attend an academy. I'd never been to one before.

"Other objectives will be relayed to you during this process so don't fret," he said solemnly. Pein took out a pen and laid it on the document. I had enough explanation. I couldn't take it anymore.

"No way," I said as I crossed my arms over my chest. "There's no way that I'm going to act like a Genin! I won't be able to use any high jutsu! I mean, why can't I pose as a Jounin or an Anbu or something like that?!"

Any other Akatsuki member would have been severely punished for defying Pein but I knew that he wouldn't harm me. He was like a father to me and he was used to my outbursts. Still, I knew better than to defy him about a mission. But seriously, posing as a lowly _Genin?!_ That was disrespectful.

"Hikari…" Pein said with authority and with slight anger building. I knew that this voice meant that he was holding back his urge to kill me and I quickly looked over to him with a tinge of regret from my words.

"This is a mission of outmost importance and can be only carried out at this present time by someone young." His tone sent chills down my spine. "You know of our true purpose for forming the Akatsuki. One of the pieces in our plot resides in Konoha. You see why we need you there?"

His face was hard and anger etched around the edges. I was terrified at the thought of what he would do if I defied him again. I reluctantly scowled at him. ~This mission is so freaking stupid!~ I thought . ~Though I do know it will be of great importance in the end.~

I sighed as I grabbed the pen. "Who do I sign as?" I asked as I put the pen on the signature line. I laid my head in my other hand as I closed my eyes.

"Sign as you," he said seriously, slightly calming down. "Use the last name I gave you."

I nodded as I wrote out my name. Hikari Phoenix. I signed then opened my eyes and looked at the other empty line. "I need a guardian signature since I'm under 18," I said as I looked up at Pein. "Would that be you?" I smiled slightly, trying to ease the tension in the air, as I handed him the pen.

"No," he said with a smirk. My smile vanished as I looked at him questioningly. "Your posing guardian is outside the doors. Enter," he said with authority. We both gazed at the doors as they opened. In walked a raven-haired man.

"No way," I mumbled to myself. "Itachi Uchiha?" He walked into the room slowly. His appearance was breath taking. His black bangs hung in his face and the rest of his hair hung in a low ponytail that lay in his Akatsuki cloak. His eyes were at the perfect angle, making him look slightly feminine but masculine all at once. His cloak was the same as all the other Akatsuki members and he wore it so that the center was open and his left hand rested in the fold.

He didn't bother kneeling, like always, instead he stood in front of the closing doors. "You may be seated," Pein said as he motioned for Itachi. Itachi walked to his seat at Pein's right side with outmost grace and power. He sat down and looked across the table to me with his perfect emotionless face. His Sharingan eyes were piercing and intimidating and I cringed involuntarily.

He turned to look at the leader with the same secured expression. "Pein," he said with a solemn voice. "You summoned me for what reason?" His voice turned velvet smooth but serious all at once.

Pein kept his face in a hard line while in Itachi's presence and he kept it that way. He looked to me again and spoke. "Itachi will pose as your guardian but he will only be in the village a few days each week. Akatsuki will have missions for him at other times."

I looked to Itachi from the corner of my eyes. He was eyeing the document and he soon reached for it. I covered my eyes with one hand and peered at him through my fingers. ~Oh man. He's not going to like this.~

Itachi took it from my hands and scanned over it. A slight sign of disbelief passed through his eyes but it was unnoticed by Pein but I saw it and waited for his defying outburst. Instead, it didn't surprise me, when he let out a short sigh and glared at Pein evilly, his crimson eyes were cold and piercing. Pein looked at him, not intimidated by his glare.

"I'll explain every detail to you personally Itachi but for now you need to sign on the line next to Hikari's signature." Pein took the pen from my hand swiftly and put it next to Itachi. Itachi stared at it for a moment before looking up to Pein again slowly. I lowered my hand to the table again and held both my hands together.

"What are my alias and age?" Itachi asked smoothly as he picked up the pen. He placed it on the line and listened for a reply. I could definitely tell that he was not the kind of person who would want to be a guardian for anyone other than himself.

"Icatai Hayate," Pein replied in a monotone voice. "Use the age that you are now. You can decide on a proper form tomorrow for your character."

Itachi started to speed read over the document. I knew he was looking for some way out of this. He stopped abruptly then looked up to Pein.

"I'm not 18," Itachi said, his small grin was hidden by the cloak's collar. I looked at him with slight amusement. I liked it when he tried to argue with Pein. "You'll need to find someone older."

"I've already discussed this with the Hokage and he will accept that you are one age difference and besides," Pein said with a crooked smile. "Hikari has no family and you will be posing as her guardian _and _sensei. That bit persuaded the old fool to allow it."

Itachi grimaced and glared at him and Pein smiled slightly, knowing that there was no way Itachi could get out now. Itachi looked towards me with the same glare. I fought back the involuntary cringe and smiled at him as sweet as I could. Aggravating him was something that I did every so often when he was in a mess like this. Itachi gave me a death glare before he looked back down at the document. He signed his alias name then looked to Pein menacingly as he handed it back to him.

Pein rolled up the certificate and placed it back in the satchel. Itachi's emotionless mask reappeared perfectly. He closed his eyes as he waited for the leader to continue. I let out a small sigh of envy when I noticed how easy it was for him to keep such an impassive face and I could hardly contain myself.

"You will leave tomorrow around noon and should arrive at Konoha in approximately one day," Pein said as he stiffened slightly, knowing that only the easiest part, _telling _Itachi, was over. "You will both be introduced to the Hokage and Hikari will begin attending the Academy the following day. Understood?"

Itachi and I both nodded. "Hikari you are dismissed," he said solemnly. "Pack all of your belongings and be prepared for departure."

I stood up and bowed slightly before leaving the room. Before the doors shut I gazed back to Itachi. His Sharingan was activated and Pein's Rin'negan was lit up. They were looking at each other seriously and I smiled slightly. It wasn't surprising that Itachi would be upset. This mission was below me, let alone below him. He was an astonishing Shinobi and he was going to play babysitter for me a few times a week.

I sighed as the large doors shut. Miraculously, I was able to keep my sadness hidden during the conversation. I let a tear drop from my eye now before I began to walk down the halls of the hideout.

I walked down the halls of the Akatsuki hideout quickly and silently. My face returned to normal, showing emotions and it was carefree. I only kept it emotionless when meeting with our leader or when discussing something of great importance.

I turned around many corners until I reached my room near the back cave wall. I began to turn the knob when someone grabbed me around the waist and hoisted me into the air quickly. I gasped softly as I looked back. It was only Deidara. He spun me around quickly as he hugged me tightly.

"Oh Hikari!" he exclaimed as he hugged me tighter. "I'm going to miss you, un!"

"Deidara!" I exclaimed with extreme annoyance. "Let go of me, NOW!" I tugged at his hands and he finally dropped me. I landed on my feet and turned around. His blond hair covered one of his eyes and the other blue one was sad, though he kept smiling. He rubbed the back of his head and closed his visible eye.

He was always so energetic and exciting. Every time I saw him he'd scream my name or give me a bone-crunching hug or something along those lines! He was one of the few people I could actually talk openly with. He was my best friend.

"Sorry Hikari. He hugged me again and cried fake playful tears. "You're going to be away for so long, un! I'm going to miss you, yeah!" I grabbed a kunai from my pouch and grabbed the ponytail on his head. I placed the kunai at its beginning.

"Let go of me if you want to keep your hair!" I said angrily, teasing him. He dropped me quickly and pulled back. He folded his arms across his chest. I gave him a grin to make sure he knew I was only teasing.

"You're not as fun as you used to be Hikari, un," he said as he looked at me with amusement. I put my kunai back in the pouch. "Probably because you've been hanging out with Itachi too much." He winked at me and I immediately knew what he was thinking.

"Dei!"

I blushed involuntarily and turned around quickly to enter my room. I shut the door in his face as he began to laugh loudly. I cursed him under my breath as I turned into my room.

I have lived in this place ever since I couldn't remember. So about… 8 years. The only time I was absent was when on was on a mission and between the ages of 8 and 10. Those two years were the time when I was secretly hidden in Konoha.

My room was arranged especially for me. It was painted midnight blue on the three front walls and black on the back wall. My bed was pushed up against the back wall. Black silk sheets and pillows rested over it. In the front left corner was an enormous book case that was completely filled with everything I needed to know about being a ninja. The other front corner led to my huge walk-in closet where all my clothes and other vanity appliances were kept. The door to my bathroom was on the right and another door was on my left. The left door led to a passage that connected to a training field. The right door led to a large bathroom that I and the person next to me had to share.

Lucky for me it just _had_ to be his room. **Itachi Uchiha.**

I didn't like that he and I had to share a bathroom together because everything was out in the open in there. There were two hot tub sized bathtubs in two of the corners when you walked in. There were no curtains and no way to lock the doors on either side of the bathroom so it was like taking a bath in front of each other. I **despised** that. A 20 ft long mirror hung on the front wall and two sinks were underneath it. The only form of privacy was a door on the back wall that led to a toilet.

I decided to take a bath before he returned. I went to my closet and pulled out my favorite black silk pajama outfit and walked into the bathroom. I turned on the hot water and it rushed out quickly. I walked to the counter and laid my pajamas on it. I removed my cloak and hung it on a hook and my head band followed. My shoes were underneath them and I threw my other undergarments and clothes into a basket underneath the sink.

I grabbed a towel and placed it near the bathtub and I stepped into it slowly. The water was hotter than I attended so I absorbed some of the heat and made the bathroom fog slightly. I washed my hair and body quickly and efficiently. When I was done I rested my head on a cushion as I relaxed my muscles. I closed my eyes for a moment and breathed deeply. I hadn't been able to relax in a while and this was nice.

I almost fell asleep but was disturbed by a door slamming on the opposite side of the bathroom door. My eyes shot open immediately as I realized that I had been in the bath for longer than I needed to be. I jumped out quickly and dried myself off with a weak fire jutsu I had conducted for this purpose. I wrapped the towel around me as I grabbed my clothes and half ran to my room.

I shut the door behind me and as soon as it shut the door to Itachi's room flew open and hit the wall with a loud crash and the sound of wood splitting echoed in the room. I knew that a hole was now in the wall and that the door had been completely ripped off its hinges.

Water started to rush and I heard him strip down quickly. I sighed in relief, happy that I was able to get out of there before he came in. But I still couldn't help wondering what Pein had said to make him so angry.

I blew a hair out of my face as I walked towards my bed. I put on my pajamas and walked into my closet with the towel. I threw it into another clothes basket and walked over to a table in the corner. I took the brush and quickly brushed my hair out as I moved back to my room and stood against the bathroom door. I tried listening through the door and into the bathroom. I concealed my presence using a jutsu.

The only thing I heard was Itachi getting into the bath and then it was pure silence. I wondered what Pein had said to him exactly and I was straining to hear if he said anything.

I heard him whisper a few things to himself but I couldn't make out all the words. I heard him say something about orders and elders. The last thing I heard surprised me the most. I heard the words foolish brother and kill in the same sentence. But that didn't make any since. His brother was already dead, why would he say that? I pressed against the door more and it made a slight creaking noise. I didn't hear anything else for a few moments but I kept still.

"It's not right to spy on people Hikari." I opened my eyes wide. ~What?! How did he know?!~ I asked myself. ~I was perfectly hidden with my jutsu!~ I thought about the door creaking. ~He must have heard me.~

I felt his breath on my neck and I didn't dare move. I was scared of him, even if I would never admit it. He leaned in to my ear and spoke.

"Now, what were you listening for?" His voice was as smooth as velvet and it was also unintentionally seductive at the same time. I felt his wet hair against my neck as he let it hang out of his low ponytail. I was frozen. I couldn't speak.

This man was breathtaking physically and he was brilliant in everything else. I had fallen for him 4 years ago and I've loved him ever since. He, along with most of Akatsuki knows this but sadly, he doesn't love me anymore. Instead, he uses my emotions against me when a situation demands.

"N-Nothing Itachi," I stuttered quickly as I remained still. I could still feel his warm breath on my neck and I was almost paralyzed. He was close enough that I could feel his body vibrate from a faint chuckle. He touched my upper arms and ran his fingers up and down them slowly. I couldn't breathe.

"Really?" he whispered in my ear. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck. "Are you lying to me?" His fingers traced my muscles smoothly and seductively. I took in a deep breathe, letting my mind take control and putting my emotions aside.

"No," I said confidently as I turned around to face him. His arms dropped to his sides as I moved and when I completely turned around I started to blush brightly.

He didn't have anything but his pants on. His muscular chest and abs glistened from the water and his long raven hair rested over his shoulders and water dripped from the ends. His crimson eyes looked directly into mine. His normal face was replaced by a seductive and lustful look and it knocked the breath out of me.

I quickly regained my composer and looked him straight in the eyes. "I was just standing by the door, brushing my hair." I put on an innocent smile and closed my eyes to try and block out Itachi's face. That didn't work.

As soon as I closed my eyes I was pinned against the door, my hands above my head. He held my wrists together with one hand and he caressed my cheek with the other. My eyes opened in surprise. He had never pushed it this far! He was starting to scare me.

He leaned in until our lips were only inches apart. "Will you please tell me?" he asked as he brushed them over mine slightly, really making my emotions go crazy. I started to blush again before I spoke.

"I w-wanted t-to hear if y-you would mention a-anything that the leader t-talked to you a-about," I stuttered involuntarily. I couldn't lie to him anymore, not with the way he was holding me and how close his lips were to mine. I knew that he was tricking me into telling him but I feared what he was willing to do to get answers.

I felt his smile fade and return to a hard line and his face also turned back to its composed form. He leaned away but held my wrists firm. His gaze was now very serious and intimidating. I looked up at him and cringed.

"And did you hear anything?" he asked in outmost authority.

"No," I said as I looked at the ground. I did hear some things but I couldn't make sense of them so there was no point in telling him.

Itachi let out a low sigh as he let go of my wrists and they fell to my sides. I was on the verge of tears as I heard him walk to the door. I looked up at him one more time before he opened the door. He didn't look back and a tear trickled down my cheek.

He treated me like I was nothing. He didn't care about my emotions or about me at all. He messed with them, purposely knowing that they were my weakness. I hated him for that.

I grabbed a pillow off my bed and threw it at him when he turned around. He didn't attempt to dodge it and it hit him in the back of the head. "I hate you Uchiha!" I exclaimed. He started to turn around to look at me but I turned from his gaze and jumped to my bed and buried my face in another one of my pillows

I cried into it and after a few moments the door shut and I was alone again.

Itachi's Pov

I was furious towards Pein. He had to choose me. From all of Akatsuki it had to be me! I barged into my room. I didn't ever let my emotions slide but I couldn't help it this time. I literally ripped the bathroom door off its hinges as I walked in.

I turned on the bath water and quickly stripped down to nothing. I undid my hair and removed my head-band and placed it on the counter. I waded into the water and sighed mentally. I needed to relax. I was over exaggerating and I needed to calm myself.

I lay back against the side and closed my eyes. I couldn't help but think about my old home in Konoha. I didn't want to return. Not yet. My thoughts flashed to images of the ones I used to care for. Father, mother, even the old foolish Hokage. The one picture that stood out was the one of my brother. Tears streamed down his eyes as he looked at me, completely terrified.

I was ordered to kill every person in my clan. It was the only way to prevent another great ninja war. I put the village above myself and I felt a tinge of regret. I hurt him so badly and I would never forgive myself. The only way that I can purge my soul is by fulfilling my promise.

I clenched the sides of the tub tightly. "He was the only one I left alive," I said quietly. "My foolish brother was not killed by me but if the elders have hurt him, they will not live to see another day. I _will_ kill them where they stand. This I swear."

I withdrew my hands from the side and finger indentions were left behind. I washed my hair and body quickly. I heard a low creak and my eyes flew open. I gazed around the room and my eyes stopped on the other bathtub. My eyes opened in slight shock and worry. It had not been drained which meant…

Hikari had just left and she was in her room. She must have hurried out when she heard I was coming. I tried to sense her presence but she was hiding it with a jutsu. I made a hand seal and whispered, "Release." Her presence became clear to me. She was leaning against the bathroom door, probably listening for something.

~Not good.~ I thought. ~If she heard me then…~ I grabbed my pants quickly and made a few more hand seals. I disappeared from the water and reappeared in Hikari's room. She was still pressed against the door and she didn't seem to notice me.

I quickly put on my pants and walked over to her quickly and silently. When I was a foot away I stopped.

"It's not right to spy on people Hikari," I said solemnly. Hikari froze. Definitely not expecting me. When she didn't say anything I leaned in next to her ear.

"Now, what were you listening for?" I asked in my normal voice. My wet hair brushed against her skin and she stiffened involuntarily.

"N-Nothing Itachi," she stuttered quickly as she remained still. I chuckled slightly, making her tense even more. I knew how to make her talk and it was easy to perform.

I raised my hands and touched the tips of my fingers to her upper arms. I moved them up and down them slowly and seductively, tracing her muscles smoothly. She didn't breathe for a few moments.

"Really?" I whispered in her ear. "Are you lying to me?" I rubbed her arms and with a little more force and she took in a deep breath as in an attempt to clear her head.

"No," she said confidently as she turned around to face me. My arms dropped to my sides as she turned. When she completely turned around she began to blush uncontrollably. Probably because I was only wearing my pants and my upper body was exposed.

When she started to look up I put on the most lustful and seductive face I could conduct. That seemed to knock the breath out of her for a moment. When she regained her composer she looked me straight in the eyes.

"I was just standing by the door, brushing my hair." She put on an innocent smile and closed her eyes. I needed to know what she had heard, even if I had to push a little further.

I pinned her against the door and her eyes flew open in shock. I held her wrists together above her head with on of my hands while I carressed her cheek with the other. I had never gone this far to get answers from her but I had to know what she heard. If anyone found out that I was ordered to kill my clan and that I still cared for my brother or the fact that he was still breathing then I don't know what would happen.

I leaned in until our lips were close to touching. I brushed my lips against hers gently as I spoke. "Will you please tell me?" I asked softly. I could feel her body tense at my touch.

"I w-wanted t-to hear if y-you would mention a-anything that the leader t-talked to you a-about," she stuttered involuntarily. I knew that she knew that I was tricking her but she could never lie to me when I was this close.

My smile faded and returned to a hard line and my face returned to its composed state as I leaned away. I kept her wrists shackled as I looked into her eyes seriously.

"And did you hear anything?" I asked in outmost authority.

"No," she said as she looked at the ground. I could tell that she was not being completely honest but I concluded that she couldn't make sense of anything anyway so I didn't press further.

I let out a low sigh as I let go of her wrists and they fell to her sides. She was about to sob as I started to walk to the door. I didn't look back but I knew that I'd hurt her more than intended and I felt slight lament but I didn't let it show.

It was of out most importance that no one found out about my true past and future actions. I couldn't risk letting them slip out.

She grabbed something and threw it at me when I reached the door. I didn't sense it being something threatening so I didn't attempt to dodge it and it hit me in the back of the head with a soft thud.

"I hate you Uchiha!" she exclaimed. The urge to say something came over me as I started to turn around to face her. As soon as I turned, she jumped to her bed and buried her face in another one of the pillows

She cried into it and I scowled at my actions. I didn't mean to go so far. I turned around slowly and opened the door. I glanced back at her one more time before shutting myself out.

I sighed as I turned to head down the hall to my room. When I reached the door I stopped, feeling a familiar presence behind me. I kept a straight face and spoke.

"What is it Kisame?" I asked with an impassive voice. I didn't turn around but was aware of the large man behind me. He chuckled slightly as he leaned against the wall opposite of me. He had obviously heard everything.

"Sometimes you can be overly cruel to the girl," he started in an amused voice. "Not that I care, it's your business, not mine." His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were looking at the ground.

"I required answers and that was the easiest way to manipulate them out of her," I said matter-of-factly. I turned the door knob slightly.

Kisame began to chuckle even louder. "And to think," Kisame began as he looked up at Itachi. "You once had feelings for her. Now you just use them to deceive her. Maybe you are the cruel, ruthless person that everyone knows."

My grip on the doorknob tightened but I refused to utter a word at Kisame's statement. I felt Kisame's smirk and he didn't budge. Kisame knew that he was treading dangerous waters by making that statement to me but he didn't show that he was intimidated.

When I didn't speak Kisame let out a sigh, to my surprise. "You really have changed Uchiha," he said in no more that a whisper. I heard it though and I quickly walked into my room and shut the door right behind me.

I rested my hands on my chest as I looked up at the ceiling of my room. I was lying on my bed and I rested in silence. Kisame's voice echoed in my head. _You've changed Uchiha._

"What did he imply by that exactly?" I asked to know one in particular. I sighed and closed my eyes. I felt a pain in my chest and it wouldn't cease. Was I actually regretting my actions towards Hikari? No. I wouldn't accept that. I had no more feelings towards her. Those were in the past.

I slowly drifted off to sleep, thinking about the hell that was approaching me tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3: The Trip to Konoha

The Trip to Konoha

Hikari's Pov

I woke up to a bright light in my room. I blinked my eyes, trying to adjust to it. I sat up and rubbed them slowly. When I realized that I had fallen asleep I cursed myself under my breath. I fell back onto my pillow and closed my eyes as I locked my mind in thought.

I came up with a solution to last nights event and I opened my eyes with confidence. I got out of bed quickly, realizing that I had not packed anything yet and it was almost 9. I half sprinted to my closet and I started packing all the clothes and other nessessities I would need for my "trip".

I dressed quickly and straightend my hair with my fire jutsu. My short bangs were shifted so that they hung slightly over my left eye. I managed to pack all of the clothes I would need into one large bag along with everything else in another slightly smaller bag. When I finished packing I sighed, thankful that I was finished. I glance at my clock. 10:23 a.m.

I walked into the bathroom and took my cloak off the hook, took my head band and carried them along with my shoes into my room. I threw my cloak on my bed and dropped my shoes to the floor.

I tied my head band on my forehead and under my bangs. Unlike everyone else's headbands, mine was blank. It didn't have a symbol on it, only a slash was visible through its center. I had never truly belonged to any village, but I had travelled and trained in many different areas, learning techinques from the experts. I had had more senseis than I could count and I had made so many friends in my travels, all of them left special memories in my heart.

I was interrupted from my thoughts by a knock at my door. "Hikari?" a familiar voice asked. I knew all to well who it was and I was shocked to hear him. I walked to the door quickly and pulled it open. Pein stood before me, his dark presence filled the area as I let him in. He walked in silently as I shut the door behind him.

"What is it Pein-sama?" I asked curiously. He had not been in my room for years and I wasn't expecting him. He didn't answer, instead I found myself being embraced by the devilish man. I looked up at him in confusion as he leaned away from me.

"Consider it a parting gift, from me," he said with a crooked smile. I smiled at him happily and hugged him back. It felt nice to embrace the man that had raised me all these years. He had only once shown love for me and that was before I was gone for 2 years. I hugged him tighly, knowing that I would probably never get to hug him in years.

He pulled away after a minute and touched my shoulder. His eyes borred into mine. "Don't get yourself killed," he said seriously. His expression was emotionless but I knew that he meant it as more than an order. He really was concerned for me.

I nodded and smiled slightly as he brushed passed me. He walked out the door. "Be safe." I didn't hear what he said because it was no more than a whisper. He shut the door behind him and walked away.

I didn't move for a moment as a thought about everyone I was leaving. Deidara and all his mischievous antics, Pein-sama and Konan, Kakuzu with his money obsession, large and slightly scary Kisame, Hidan the religious fanatic, Sasori, the puppet master, Tobi and his annoying outbursts, heck, I was even going to miss Zetsu, the guy who threatened to eat me every time I made a rude comment about him! But of course, the one person that I would not miss was coming with me.

I heaved myself onto my bed and sighed. The next 6 months were going to be a hell on earth. I closed my eyes as I tried to remember what it was like in Konoha.

**Flashback**

I was 9 years old. I had managed to stay hidden for a whole year and I really missed Pein-sama. I wasn't allowed to walk around the village so the only two people I talked to were Itachi-sama and Madara-sama. I only saw Madara when we were training so we never socialized. I loved being with Itachi but he was busy all the time so I usually only saw him every few days.

I was told to train by myself in the usual forest clearing by Itachi while he was out on a mission. I threw kunais and shuriken at the target painted on the tree, hitting the center every time. I made 3 shadow clones to spar against, giving each of them more chakra than myself. I wiped all three of them out in a matter of minutes.

I rested against a rock and looked up at the clouds. It was bound to be another boring day. I sighed then stood up. It was still early afternoon and I had finished my training early. I decided to walk around the outskirts of the village. I knew that I wasn't allowed but I didn't want to wait around for Itachi all day.

I walked silently through the forest, knowing exactly where everything was. I reached the fork in the forest. The left path led to the Uchiha complex and the right led to the main gates of Konoha. I took the right.

I reached the entrance a few minutes later. The guards were posted there and I made a few hand seals. I transformed into a bird and flew passed them with ease. I landed on a rooftop and transformed back to my normal self.

I looked down at the village. People were talking and laughing everywhere. Shops and restraunts lined the streets, everything was so warm and inviting. I smiled in excitement as I ran to the edge of the rooftop. I jumped and landed on the one beside it. I continued to move in that direction until I could not go any further.

I looked down and saw a playground. A few kids, a couple years younger than me were playing happily together. The happiest child caught my attention. He was wearing a white shirt with a spirl design on the back and his spikey blonde hair flew in all directions. He had bright blue eyes that reflected many different emotions. There were small whisker marks on his cheeks that made him look different.

I sat on the edge and watched all of them play, longing to join them. Almost an hour passed and the children's parents came to get them. I smiled at the kids one last time before standing up. Just when I started to turn I noticed the blonde kid. He stood in the middle of the playground, staring at the ground. His parents were no where.

I looked at him with sympathy, knowing that he didn't have any. I jumped down to the streets and walked over to him quietly. When I got closer I put on a happy face and a smile.

"Hey kid!" I said happily as I waved to him. He looked at me in surprise as I continued walking towards him. "What's your name?" He hesitated, pondering whether he should answer or not.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he answered.

"Its nice to meet you Naruto," I said as I put on a friendly smile. "My name is Hikari, would you like to play with me?" Naruto looked at me strangely, wondering why I wanted to play with him. When he didn't say anything I sighed.

"Alright then," I said. "I guess that's a no." I turned around and started to walk off.

"W-Wait!" He grabbed my hand and I turned back to him. "Of course I want to play!" he said in excitement.

"Alright!" I said happily. I didn't recall ever playing like a kid so this was the first time. I poked Naruto in the forehead. "Tag, your it!" I called as I ran away from him.

"Wha- Hey!" he exclaimed. "You cheater!" He ran after me as fast as he could. I didn't run at my full speed because I knew that he'd never catch me if I did.

A long time passed and Naruto and I were laying on a hill at the edge of the village. We both had our hands behind our head as we gazed up at the stars. We talked about different things like our interests and hobbies. When I told him that I was training to be a ninja he looked at me with a shocked expression.

"You're a ninja!" He exclaimed as he sat up quickly.

"Yeah," I said as I continued looking at the sky.

"Can you teach me some cool techinques?!" he asked in excitement. I looked up at him and saw shear desire in his eyes. "I'll need to become the strongest ninja because I'm going to be Hokage some day!" He smiled brilliantly and confidently. I couldn't help but return the gesture.

"Then I won't stand in the way of your dream Naruto," I said as I looked back to the stars.

"R-Really Hikari?!" he asked in disbelief. I nodded and he gave me a bone-crushing hug. "Oh you won't regret it Hikari! I'll be the best student you'll ever have!"

**End Flashback**

~Naruto… I wonder how much closer you've gotten to fulfilling your dream.~ I looked at the clock again. 11:49. I took in a deep breathe. ~Here goes nothing.~

I grabbed my bags and managed to carry them both somehow. I walked out of my room, glancing back at it for a moment then closed and locked the door. I made my way down the halls. Turning in all directions until I came to the end of the enormous cave.

Everyone was there, except Itachi. When they saw me they smirked and some smiled. I smiled back as I made my way towards them. When I got close enough Pein stopped me.

"You know the basics of the mission, Itachi will go into more details as time moves on," he stated seriously. The comforting man from this morning was gone now and I accepted it.

I nodded and turned around to give everyone a last goodbye. Just as I began to turn I was pulled into a tight hug. I dropped my bags on the ground and gasped.

"I'll miss you Hikari, un!" Deidara exclaimed as he hugged me tighter. I didn't force him off me, knowing that I wasn't going to see him in 6 months. When he let go everyone else had approached me.

Tobi came up to me. "I will miss you Hikari!" He exclaimed as he gave her a quick hug. She was used to acting that he was a harmless person. The real identify of Tobi was my old sensei, Madara Uchiha. He wasn't an official member of Akatsuki but he was there in case a "replacement" was needed. She smiled at him as he let go, imitating the act.

Sasori and Kakuzu shook her hands and told her to take care. Hidan bowed slightly to her. "May HE watch over you," he said solemnly, talking about his "god."

Kisame punched her in the arm playfully, but still hard enough to make her stumble slightly. "Try not to die, alright Hikari," he said with a chuckle. I rubbed my arm and playfully glared at him.

"Thanks, Kisame," I said sarcasticly. "I'll try to remember that." Zetsu flicked me in the forehead when I turned around.

"Farewell brat," he said with a smirk. I smirked back.

"See you later Mr. Plant," I smirked wider, using the name he hated. He frowned slightly In annoyance and I chuckled to myself.

Konan gave me a swift hug. "Be safe child," she said sincerely. She had been like a mother to me and I appreciated what she had done.

To my surprise she pulled a small charm bracelet out of her cloak. She snapped it on my wrist and I looked at it in confusion. There were ten charms embedded in the bracelet. The first was a piercing of some sort, the next was an origami swan, the third was an orange swirl, the fourth was a thorn, the fifth was a shark tooth, the sixth was a cross, the seventh was a dollar sign, the eighth was the word art with an explosion in the background, the ninth was a small puppet, and the tenth was the the pinwheel of the Sharingan.

"It's a present from all of us," Konan said. "So you'll remember." I smiled at my new gift and my eyes almost started to water. I looked up at eveyone and smiled.

"Thank you eveyone," I said happily. "I'll never take it off!" I was so happy that I'd found people that actually cared about me. They may have been S-Ranked criminals but they were the closest thing to family that I had. I looked at it in admiration as it shined brilliantly in the sunlight.

The wind rustled as Itachi transported to the exit a few feet from me. He carried only one bag and it fit over his shoulder without a problem. I picked up one of my bags but when I reached for the other it wasn't there. I looked at Itachi and saw him carrying it. I smiled in gratitude but he ignored me.

I looked away from him and made my way to the exit, Itachi followed quietly. I waved bye to everyone one last time before running off into the forest with him.

Hikari's Pov

We ran on for several hours, not talking to each other at all. I was still mad at him but I didn't let it show. When it started to get dark Itachi stopped and I followed his example. We were in a small clearing in the middle of a forest.

"We'll stay here," he stated as he dropped our bags. I mentally slapped myself when I realized what I had forgotten. Itachi pulled out his folded up tent and set it up quickly. I stood and watched him.

"What is it?" he asked in slight annoyance.

"I forgot my tent," I said, slightly embarressed. He looked at me, frustration building in his eyes. He sighed and finished setting up his tent.

"You may share with me. Don't speak of this to anyone." His voice was threatening _and_ menacing. I nodded as I dropped the bag I was holding.

About an hour passed and it was almost pitch black. We had a fire going and we both sat beside it. He sat on the opposite side of the fire. I took a deep breath as I stood up, ready to tell Itachi my thoughts from this morning and last night, dreading what I was about to say.

"Itachi," I began confidently. He looked up at me and showed no emotion. "I don't have feelings for you anymore so you're going to have to find some other way to get answers from me." I crossed my arms over my chest and looked away from him.

He stared at me in unnoticable surprise. "Or so you say," he said in a low, sarcastic tone. I looked to him and smirked.

"I do mean it," I stated. "I only want to be friends, now. You can accept that or you can choose not to believe it. Its your choice, not mine." Before I knew it I was on the ground on my back, Itachi hovered over me. One of his knees were on each side of my thighs as he planted his hands on either side of my face. I looked up at him with no emotion and he returned the same look.

"You don't have feelings, though-." He brushed my cheek with a hand and I trembled involuntarily. "You tremble at my touch."

"What would you do if a murderer was this close to you?" I said icily, making my lie as cold as possible. Itachi took his hand away and glared ferociously at me. I thought he would kill me right there but he held back any anger he was feeling.

"Never forget our past Hikari," he said with no emotion. "Always remember that those times are forever gone." He got off me and walked to the tent. He removed his cloak, shoes, and shirt before going inside to sleep.

I looked up at the stars quietly. "Why did those times have to fade?" I whispered. I sat up after a few minutes and went to sit by the fire for a while, thinking about tomorrow. When I was sure that he was asleep,I poured water on the fire. It died down immediantly and I walked to the tent. I took off my cloak and shoes and placed them next to Itachi's before crawling in.

Dream

It was late at night. I dragged my nine-year old self to the Uchiha complex. I snuck around every building undetected, like every night. When I reached Itachi-sensei's window I slid it open and jumped into his room. I had just come back from teaching and playing with Naruto and I was exaughsted. Itachi was out on a mission so I was not punished.

I removed my shirt and pants and got under the sheets, too tired to put on any pajamas. I faced the window as I drifted off to sleep.

"I-Itachi?" I woke up in the middle of the night from somebody shaking my shoulder slowly. My head was under a pillow and the darkness hid any exposed part of my face. When the person shook me again I fraze, knownig I'd finally been caught.

I looked out from under the pillow and saw a kid that looked Naruto's age. I was shocked at how much he resembled Itachi. I guessed that it was his little brother. He had both hands on my shoulder and he looked nervous and scared.

I sat up quickly, grabbed him around the waist, and covered his mouth. I pulled him onto the bed and looked him directly in the eyes. He held my hand covering his mouth and tried to pull it off but with no provail. He was looking at me terrified.

"Please," I began sincerely. "Don't scream or run. I'll explain everything." He still looked terrified but he nodded shakily. I removed my hand from his mouth but still held his waist.

"I am Itachi's student and I have no place to stay," I said quietly. "He told me that I could stay here until my previous sensei comes to get me."

"W-Why didn't you ask my p-parents if you could stay?" the boy asked nervously. I looked away for a moment, wondering if I should tell him. It would be okay, I guess.

"I'm a secret student," I answered. I looked back at him and his eyes were wide. "No one knows I'm here except Itachi-sensei and now you…"

"Sasuke Uchiha," he said. So this is his brother. He wasn't looking at me any more and I saw slight saddness in his eyes. I put my finger under his chin and turned his face towards me.

"What's wrong Sasuke?" I asked.

"Since I know about you, won't you have to kill me now?" He tried to sound brave as he spoke but fear inevitably covered his face. I chuckled slightly and caught him off guard.

"No," I said with a last chuckle. "I think I can trust you with my secret." I smiled as his expression changed to a little fear still but a lot of relief. "Any way," I began. "What are you doing in your brother's room Sasuke?"

He looked away from me and frowned. "I had a nightmare and I wanted to see if I could sleep with my brother." I saw fear cross his face as he recalled the nightmare. I smiled slightly in sympathy.

"You can sleep with me, if you want," I said as I pulled him comfortably onto a pillow. I let go of him and laid my head on the opposite pillow. "I'll understand if you'd rather not. Goodnight Sasuke."

I closed my eyes and he stirred slighlty. I felt the sheets lift up as he layed beside me. I smiled slighlty before leaning over and kissing his forehead. I didn't see that he blushed and smiled shyly. I layed back on my side as I drifted off.

A few minutes later Sasuke snuggled up to me and rested his head on my chest. I smiled down at him and wrapped my arms protectivly around him.

From then on, Sasuke slept with me every night that Itachi was away. We became extremely close. We kept our relationship a secret from everyone, even Itachi and Naruto. I told him about my forgotten past and he told me about his relationship with his family members.

Like his other family members, Sasuke wanted to be an amazing shinobi. I could tell that he idolized his brother and that he longed for his father's respect. I told him that I knew he could defeat his brother one day. I also promised him that I would train him in Taijutsu and Ninjutsu.

It was like I was a sensei for two students. Naruto and Sasuke actually started to call me Hikari-sensei after a while. I told them just to call me Hikari but they wouldn't listen. The strangest thing was that neither of them knew I was training the other.

Of course I still had to train with Itachi and Madara but I made sure that I fit my friends into my schedule. I came home exaughsted evey night and Itachi began to worry.

I had just turned ten and Itachi was almost thirteen. We were in bed one night when Itachi spoke to me. He turned towards me and had his elbow on the pillow and his head on his hand. I was laying beside him on my side and I looked up at him with drooping eyes.

"Why have you been so tired lately?" He asked seriously as he shifted slightly. I yawned.

"The training wears me out a lot," I half-lied. I shifted slightly as Itachi's eyes looked deeply into mine, detecting the lie.

"Hn," he smirked. "Now what's the real reason?" He scooted closer to me and I took my eyes from his.

"That is the reason. I'm tired, so goodnight." I turned to my other side and closed my eyes tightly, hoping he'd drop the topic. He wasn't about to. He flipped me over and before I knew it he was on top of my stomach and I was on my back. He held my hands at my sides and I looked up at him shocked.

He leaned down to my ear. "Take care of yourself," he whispered. "I don't want my love to get hurt."

My eyes widened. "Your lo-." I was cut off by his lips crashing on mine. It was a short, sweet kiss. When he took his lips from mine I sighed quietly.

"I love you Hikari," he confessed quietly. He leaned down and kissed me again. He held my neck gently. He didn't sease or grab, he lured. Not that he didn't want to, he was sincere and let me choose. His mysterious aura and his powerful presence was overwhelming.

"I love you Itachi," I said happily as we broke apart. A slight smile crossed his face. His left hand ran down my side and held onto my hip. His fingers rubbed my stomach underneath my shirt softly and gave me chills. He leaned down an inch from my lips.

"That's a good thing," he whispered. His voice was seductive and smooth. He kissed me again passionatly and I returned it full hearted.

We kissed for a few hours and evey night he was home we repeated the event more lovingly. We had loved each other once before. The image faded slowly. Why not now?

End Dream

Morning came quickly and I woke up to the warm sunlight. I sat up in the tent and looked out the open flap of the tent. Itachi was no where in sight. I couldn't remember if I had had a dream so I quit trying to think about it. I yawned and stretched before crawling out slowly. I stood up and looked around. Itachi's cloak was gone and in its place were three apples. I guessed that they were for me so I picked one up and bit into it.

I dressed quickly after I ate my apple. Itachi appeared seconds late and tore down the tent. He packed it then walked off with his belongings and my huge bag. I followed reluctantly without a word, grabbing my other bag.

We walked for a few minutes and I thought about my past. I chuckled when one memory came to mind. It was very late at night and Itachi and I were "up" later than usual because he had just come home from a mission in the middle of the night. The next day he left again and Sasuke came up to me.

He asked why I was giggling and squealing last night. He said that he heard Itachi laugh a lot and the bed was making creaking noises. I must have blushed a thousand shades of red when I realized that he must have gotten up during the night and heard everything. We hadn't _done _anything. We had both decided that that was something we would wait until we were older for. We were no where near ready for such a huge step and Itachi had always wanted to marry first anyway so I didn't mind.

I told him that I was Itachi's girlfriend and he made the funniest, grossed-out face and I laughed. He wasn't interested in girls, yet. He said that I was the only girl for him. Then he quickly said that I was the only girl "friend" for him. A little too quickly. I loved Sasuke. He was my best friend.

A tear trickled down my cheek and I wiped it away quickly. I was not allowed to show emotion on any mission, no matter what. I sniffled slightly. It was just hard to bear the fact that he was dead. My absolute best friend and love were erased and I wanted them back so badly. I missed Sasuke's personality and his courage and bravery in everything he did. And Itachi's old self…. happy… and caring… turned into a cruel, evil, ruthless being. Why?

Itachi noticed my tear and heard my low sniffle, despite my attempt to hide them. He picked up his pace until he was full out running. I quickly caught up to him and kept pace. My face returned to normal and no trace of saddness showed.


	4. Chapter 4: Back in the Village!

Back in Konoha!

Hikari's Pov

We arrived at the outskirts of the village in the evening. Itachi stopped and dropped our belongings. I stopped and did the same. He threw his cloak to the ground.

He wore a white long sleeved jacket with a high collar that was slightly lower than his Akatsuki collar. It was left open and it wasn't meant to connect together. Underneath it was a black sleeveless under-armor shirt that showed off his muscles. Tight black leather gloves gripped his hands and stretched from his elbow to the end of his second knuckle. Fitted black pants wrapped around his legs and two weapon pouches hung on each of his hips. His black shoes exposed his toes like most other shinobi's shoes.

He took off his head-band and wrapped a white cloth around his forehead. It hung underneath his bangs firmly and it was hidden so you could only see it from the front.

"New look?" I asked when he turned around to face me. I was going to attempt to make him a friend. He didn't answer me as he made a hand seal. Three clones of himself appeared. He made several other hand seals and the clones transformed into three different looking people.

The first clone was taller than Itachi by a few inches. He had curly blonde hair that reached his shoulders and red eyes. The second clone was shorter than Itachi and built bigger. He had short red hair that framed his face and brown eyes. The third clone was the same heighth as Itachi but he was chubby and had little muscle. His hair hung in a high ponytail and his eyes were green.

I looked at Itachi and frowned. He didn't say anything as I threw a shuriken through each clone. They disappeared in a puff of smoke and I looked at Itachi in aggrivation.

"Can't you be a little more, I don't know… somewhat better at making a form?" He looked at me apatheticly and I sighed. I rubbed my temple as he made the hand seals again. He transformed himself and my jaw almost dropped at his new form.

He was wearing the same clothes but his face was different. He didn't have those lines by his eyes and his eyes were ice-blue. His face was slightly darker and his features remained very sharp. His black hair hung in layers to his shoulders and the white cloth was visible from the sides. His body was the same built. He was just as handsome and no one would be able to guess he was Itachi.

I walked up to him, one finger on my chin, and pretended to judge his apperance. I squinted my eyes as I circled him slowly. He clenched his fists and glared at me in annoyance but otherwise he didn't move. When I got back in front of him I smiled innocently. He wanted to kill me right there but I acted like I didn't notice.

"I like this one," I said calmly, holding in the fact that he was beautiful. "But what's with the white cloth around your head?" ~Didn't Pein assign him a home village?~

He was silent as his irritation lowered. His voice was slighlty deeper than usual but it was still velvet smooth. "Neither of us have been to an Academy, therefore we have never obtained our own head-bands. I trained myself and then you, and we've been traveling to many villages, never once staying for long. That's the main idea."

I pondered the thought then I took my head-band and my cloak off and packed them in the small bag. Itachi put his things in the same bag. I tied another white cloth to my head and it rested underneath my bangs.

While we were making last preperations I couldn't help but stare at Itachi's new form. It was like falling in love again but I tried not to let it show. Itachi picked up the bags and caught my gawking eyes.

"If you do not stop staring," he began. "I will change forms." I didn't hear him. I was lost in his misty eyes. "I'm changing." He dropped the bags and raised his hands.

I waved my hands franticly in front of my face. "W-Wait Itachi," I said quickly. "I'm just getting used to your new appearance." I rubbed the back of my head and closed my eyes. Itachi looked at me for a minute, reading my expression. I peeked out of one eye and my gaze shifted to look him up and down without drawing his attention. Too bad he caught my eye.

He raised his hands again and began to perform the handsigns. Right before the last one two voices echoed from the trees. We turned in the direction and two men appeared. They looked towards us.

The first man who appeared had black hair in an upside down bowl shape. He wore a dark green jumpsuit with a green vest. He had an enthusiastic grin plastered to his face. The other man appeared almost 10 seconds after. He had spikey silver hair and a mask that covered everything but his eyes. His head-band was over his left eye for some reason.

"I told you that I heard voices," The black haired man said quickly when he spotted us. The other man had a book in front of his face but as soon as he found our faces he put it in his weapon pouch.

"I guess you were right," he said in a collected tone. They looked us over quickly and we looked at them questionably. They walked towards us a few feet before the masked man spoke again. "Are you by chance Icatai Hayate and Hikari Phoenix?"

I looked at Itachi from the corner of my eyes before answering with a nod. Itachi crossed his arms and looked at them sharply. The silver haired man walked forward and picked up Itachi's bag and pulled it over his shoulder then grabbed my larger bag and threw it to the other guy. He caught it and held it like it was weightless. Itachi didn't give up the bag containing our cloaks and head-bands.

The masked-man shrugged and began walking back in the direction he came, pulling out his book in the process. "Follow us," he said. "We were ordered to bring you to the Hokage if there was any sign of you." The other man followed him after giving us a huge smile.

I looked at Itachi and saw him rub his temple in complete irritation before he looked down to glare at me. He walked forward and I followed. He couldn't change, now that two people had seen him. ~He'll just have to get over it.~

When we reached the gates we stopped for a second and the masked-man spoke. "Welcome to Konoha," he said as he turned and smiled at us. Or at least I thought he was smiling. I couldn't really tell with his mask on. They started to walk in but I was hesitant. Itachi noticed so he helped by grabbing my wrist and dragging me in.

Hikari's Pov

When he let go I glared at him but he didn't seem to care. I looked around and smiled slightly. It was just how I remembered it. Tall buildings everywhere with shops and restuarnts within them. People bustled around and others walked aimlessly by. A lot of people looked at us and almost evey teenage girl stopped to gaze at Itachi.

Itachi knew this but kept a straight face and looked forward. Behind us we heard girl's gossiping and giggling, asking each other if they knew him and telling each other to back off because he is theirs.

Itachi couldn't stifle his grimace but I was the only one to notice. This was one of the best times to agrivate him. "It's your own fault," I whispered to only him. "You _had_ to chose the form of a handsome guy and now you won't get a moment of peace with all these girls around you all the time."

I knew that he would have knocked me out or worse if we had not been in public. Though a slight part of him knew that he brought this upon himself so he didn't even glare directly at me. He just kept walking and he glared at nothing for a moment before composing himself.

Evey time we passed an interesting place the black haired man would point it out excitedly. Itachi and I would nod but neither of us exchanged any kind of gesture. The silver haired man didn't say a word as he kept his eyes on the book.

We arrived at a big building and I assumed it was the Hokage's building. We walked up to the building and the two men stopped. "This is as far as we go," The masked man said. "We will take your belongings to your house. Goodbye." And with that they were gone.

The guards at the door let us in and a woman inside the building told us that we were early and that the Hokage was in the middle of writing a document. She said it probably wouldn't bother him so she escouted us to the room.

She knocked on the door and an elderly voice voice answered with a stern yes. She told him that we had arrived and he told her to send us in. The woman obeyed and she opened the door for us. Itachi walked in first and I followed right behind.

The Hokage from my memories sat on a cushion on the a slightly higher level in front of us. He seemed to be working on a document because he put the brush down and turned when he heard us come in. He was only wearing his robe and his hat was next to him. A pipe hung in his mouth.

I bowed respectfully. "Lord Hokage," I said in greeting. Itachi crossed his arms over his chest and nodded at him once as if to greet him.

"Welcome to Konoha," he said cheerfully as he pulled the pipe from his mouth. "You are Icatai Hayate and Hikari Phoenix I presume?" We nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you both. I am sorry for the unproper place we have met in but I wasn't expecting you until this evening."

"My apologize," I said sincerely, knowing Itachi wasn't going to say anything right now. "We got ahead of schedule. We could come back later…"

"No," he chuckled. "It's alright. I only wanted to ask you both a few questions." I looked at him normally while I was worried inside. What did he want to know? Hopefully something that wasn't to complicated.

"First off," he began. "Hikari, you have a sensei, why do you wish to join the Academy and why Konoha?" I stiffened slightly. ~Oh man…. What do I say?~ Before I had another second to think Itachi spoke in my place.

"I applied her for the Academy," he said emotionlessly. The Hokage looked up to Itachi seriously and I followed his gaze. "I want her on a squad. She has yet to develop the basic neccessities of teamwork to perfection due to her lack of travel companions. Her tactics must be improved and she will need a team to do so." I smiled slightly. Itachi's explanation was a perfect way he explained it was enough to make anyone who dared to question him quiver.

The Hokage stuck the pipe in his mouth then pulled it back out to answer. "I see," he said as he looked seriously to Itachi. "That makes perfect sense, but why would you choose Konoha, Icatai?" I glanced at Itachi and I could tell that he didn't know what to say. I looked back at the Hokage and sighed. I was about to give away one of my greatest secrets. The Hokage didn't take his eyes off Itachi as I spoke.

"I needed someone," I began. Itachi looked at me sharply. His eyes told me that if I dared to say what I was going to I would be in worse trouble than a beating. "-to teach me about.-." I was cut off by the door being slammed open. I turned around and saw two frantic looking men.

"Lord Hokage!" One of them exclaimed.

"What is it? Is Naruto causing trouble again?" I perked up at the name. ~Naruto! He's actually here! I wonder how he's been.~

"Yes! That punk Naruto is desecrating the Hokage monument! And this time with paint!" I shot a glare at the man who called Naruto a punk. Itachi had his arm crossed and watched the scene. The Hokage sighed as he grabbed his hat and stood up.

"Our talk will have to wait," he said as he walked towards the door. "Again, it was a pleasure to meet you." He kept his eyes fixated seriously on Itachi. I nodded then followed them after asking permission. I wanted to see Naruto. Before Itachi could protest I was half-way down the hall. He followed silently.

We walked up a few staircases and then we were on the roof with a lot of angry people. They were yelling threats and shaking their fists in agrivation. I moved through all the people and stopped at the front when I saw the mountain.

I looked up at it and frowned. This was low and disrespectful. Naruto couldn't have… I was interupted when a familiar voice broke out.

"Shut up you idiots!" I looked up at the mountain and sure enough, the Naruto of my past was there. Blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a wide grin. "None of you guys could do something this horrible! But I can! I am incredible!" I looked at Naruto emotionlessly but inside I was about to burst from happiness! He was still here but… I frowned. What the heck was he doing?! Disrespecting the Hokages?! He never used to be that into pranks.

"Geez what has he done!" The Hokage exclaimed as he looked at his face on the mountain in horror. I didn't blame him. I wouldn't want my face to look like that. Itachi came up behind me and startled me as he pulled me aside quickly.

"What are you doing?" he asked in apathy. Itachi had his back to the crowd of people and I looked over his shoulder and saw a man with a brown ponytail come up to the railing at the front. I looked back at Itachi. His face was only a foot from mine and he looked at me sharply.

"I just wanted to see what that kid had done," I answered as I gazed back over his shoulder. The man started yelling something at Naruto and it seemed to freak him out. Itachi looked back and followed my gaze. It seemed that Naruto had been tied up by the ponytail guy and was over his shoulder. I stifled a laugh when I saw Naruto's expression.

"Hikari," the Hokage called. I walked away from Itachi and up to him. The ponytail guy was next to him and he looked at me and smiled. "This is Iruka Umino. He will be one of your sensei's at the Academy."

He put out his free hand while the other one still held Naruto in place. "It's nice to meet you Hikari," he said happily. "I hear that you'll be joining us tomorrow." I nodded as Itachi walked over. He stood at my side but about an inch or two in front as if to look protective. Iruka noticed him and withdrew his hand. I glared up at Itachi but he paid no mind.

"Hey! Hey!" Naruto struggled slightly in Iruka's grip. "I want to meet the new person!" He sounded excited.

"No you idiot!" Iruka exclaimed. "You'll see her tomorrow! Right now you are officially in deep trouble!" Naruto made an attempt to escape from the ropes but he failed miserably. I wanted to see him too. I had missed him but Itachi didn't know that he had been my friend. He would be very suspicious if I insisted with meeting Naruto. So I kept quiet.

"No fair Iruka-sensei!" he exclaimed. "Just let me meet her! Please sensei! I-." Before he could say anything else Iruka had transported somewhere with Naruto on his back. The crowd dispersed until there was only the two guards, the Hokage, Itachi, and myself.

"I apologize for the incovienance," the Hokage said as he let out a puff of smoke. He kept his eyes on Itachi. "You must be tired from your journey. Here." He took a key from his robe and threw it to Itachi. He caught it smoothly with one hand then recrossed it over chest. "Get some rest. You'll need it tomorrow Hikari." And with that he turned and walked away but not before looking at Itachi with consideration.

When they all were gone I stood in front of Itachi, arms crossed and a glare plastered on my face. He looked down at me with his mezmorizing eyes. I stood for another second before letting it out.

"Why did you have to intimidate them so badly!" I exclaimed. He looked at me the same. "Now they're going to be afraid to talk to me because they'll think you'll kill them! Why did you act like an overprotective brother all of a sudden! You're ruining my chances!" I panted slightly, happy to get it out.

"And what do you want me to change exactly?" he asked with a smirk. I couldn't believe it! Itachi Uchiha was amused with my anger! But the truth was that he made it fade quickly and I lightened up a little.

"Just try not to scare the people here," I said with a chuckle as I closed my eyes as I thought.. "Just be you, only with a little less intimidation towards others. If you keep that up then we'll have greet "friends" in no time." I smiled wickedly. I felt him change positons but I didn't register it in my head. I was too busy thinking about my next statement. "And maybe you'll have a few girlfriends as well." I really couldn't help myself and I closed my eyes tighter and waited for my punishment. He didn't strike and I opened them slowly. He was gone.

I ran over to the edge of the building and saw him looking up towards me. "Let's go Hikari," he said as he turned to walk away. I frowned at him, unhappy that he left before he could hear my joke. I jumped down and landed softly and caught up to him in a second.


	5. Chapter 5: First Day at the Academy

First Day at the Academy 

Hikari's Pov

We walked through the streets casually. I looked at everything curiously. It was just as beautiful as I'd remembered. Itachi caught me gawking at everything and he sighed in frustration.

"Stop acting like a tourist Hikari," he said in irritation. "It will only draw more attention and we will be acknowledged easier." I looked up at him and saw that he was serious.

"Alright," I said unhappily. I still looked around as much as I could without moving my head. Itachi ignored me as best as he could.

We approached the Academy and I couldn't help but gaze inside. I saw Iruka scold Naruto in front of the class and then I heard a loud group moan come from the room. They must have all been punished for Naruto's prank. The students lined up and they each turned into Iruka.

~A transformation test? That was their punishment?~ When Naruto came forward, I read the mischief in his eyes. What was he going to do? Just then a cloud of smoke appeared and Naruto transformed into a naked girl with smoke covering her exposed parts. Iruka had an enormous nose bleed and I stopped in my tracks and stared at Naruto with pure annoyance. My eye twitched in sudden irritation. I wanted to go beat him to a pulp.

He changed back and was rolling on the floor laughing. Iruka started to scold him even more and for once I didn't blame him. Itachi noticed that I had stopped and he had to stifle the laugh that threatened to purse his lips. He pulled me away from the window before I could do anything I would regret. It was only his strong arm that held me back from killing Naruto.

Itachi pushed me forward roughly and I tried to move back but he just kept pushing me forward with little effort. I finally stopped trying and started to walk on my own. We made our way down the street with only the eyes of desperate females following Itachi and looking him over. He was probably thinking about how much he hated me for choosing this form. I laughed at his irritation quietly.

We finally reached the house after a long walk. My mouth almost dropped when I saw it. It wasn't as big as the Hokage's building, but it still was huge! It was at least 3 stories tall and about 50 ft long. The walls were slighly darker than crimson and the roof was black. It was finely crafted and it looked like the Hokage's special guests would stay here, not two random shinobi.

~Pein outdid himself on the house.~ I smiled. ~It's almost too nice, but not quite.~ Itachi walked up to the door and unlocked it. He opened the door and let me go in first. I smiled in thanks but, as always, he ignored me.

"Wow," I whispered as I walked in. One half of the room was an emormous kitchen/dining room area. A wall with an opening divided the two areas up. The kitchen part had everything you could imagine. Every object and the floor and walls were white marble and the table in the dining room area was a brilliant white. A chandelier with many crystals hung over the table and it lit up the room.

The other half of the floor was a living room area. It was also very nice. The chairs and couch were made of black leather and a coffee table was in front of the couch. It was high quality wood and it was crafted nicely. A huge t.v. hung on the wall. I looked to the right wall and saw a bookcase that ran down the whole space. It was filled with books.

I squealed quietly in happiness as I looked around some more. Itachi walked in and headed up the stairs immediantly. I walked through the kitchen and ran my hand over the smooth marble counter. I found a note on the edge of one of them and read it. **Your housekeeper will arrive between 6 and 7 every morning.**Pein hired a _housekeeper _for us? I wanted to thank him for everything.

I found two bathrooms in the corners of the first floor and they were the size of my old bathroom at the Akatsuki. I was glad that we wouldn't have to share. I walked up the stairs and onto the second floor. There was a long hallway that led to more stairs with 4 doors along the way. The first door on the left was open so I walked over to it.

The room was bigger than Itachi and my old rooms put together. A huge black silk bed was against the far wall and a large mirror and chest was on the left wall. A door to a closet was next to it. All other things you'd expect in a room were everywhere. The door on the other side led to the bathroom. I looked into it and saw that it was slightly bigger than the ones downstairs. Another door connected to the bathroom and it held another huge room. The two people in these rooms were meant to share the bathroom.

I looked back at the bed and saw Itachi's bag on it. ~I guess this is Itachi's room.~ I walked across the hall and opened the door. The room was exactly the same except the bed had crimson silk instead. Everything else was the same, including the bathroom sharing. I found my empty bags on the desk. I made sure that everything was in my room before heading up the next flight of stairs.

I found Itachi carrying a huge box into another room so I followed. The room was just as big as the living room but there was only one piece of furniture. A couch along the back wall. A door was at the end and it locked from the outside.

Itachi dropped the box lightly and knelt over it. He looked through it a moment before stopping and smirking. I looked at him in confusion as he looked up at me and chuckled slightly.

"Looks like Pein told them you like games," he said stifling another laugh. I would smile because I loved games but Itachi's face told me that I wasn't going to like this. He pulled out an object and showed it to me. I gaped. It was a glass bottle with the word spin on it.

"What?!" I said with shock. He pulled out another object. It was a book that read: Truth or Dare for Teenagers. I gaped wider. He pulled out another object but not without laughing slightly. My eyes opened wide as I read the title. The real way to play 30 minutes in Heaven. If Itachi had been less composed he would have died from laughter from the expression on my face.

I clenced my fists tightly at my sides as I cursed inwordly at Pein. ~Scratch what I said earlier. I hate him!~ I walked over to the box and looked in. There were _more _stupid games like that and I wanted to tear them apart.

"Pein wanted you to strengthen relationships," Itachi began with amusement. "This is one way to acomplish that." He smirked deviously and I wanted to knock the grin off his face. I was about to punch him when he disappeared and reappeared behind me. He pulled my hair slightly and held it. "Friends make fun of each other, correct?" he asked seriously. I mumbled a curse to him and his stupid question and he let me go.

We walked out of the room and noticed 6 other small beds on the far wall. An ice box and tall cabinet stood on another wall and a table with lots of chairs was next to them.

"I think he wants me to have a party or something," I said. "What fun." My voice was highly sarcastic but I was thinking that a party would actually _be_ a lot of fun. Itachi went up the last flight of stairs and I followed reluctantly.

We were on the roof and the sun was setting. The roof was flat where we walked and it had a nice view of the whole village at the highest point. He stopped at the edge of the railing and looked over the village.

I walked up beside him and leaned against the railing casually. I looked over my shoulder at the village and sighed at its marvel. Itachi didn't speak for a while and his eyes were deep in thought.

"Tomorrow," he started solemly. I looked up at him and he kept his eyes forward. "You will meet someone. When you meet this person you must remain oblivious to any emotions you feel. You must keep calm or you might jeopardize our mission." I blinked in confuzement at him.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "Who is this person?"

"You'll know when you see them." He turned around and started to walk away. "Rest. You have a long day tomorrow." And with that he walked away from me and down the stairs.

I looked back at the sunset. ~Who is he talking about? Meet someone and control my emotions? It sounds weird coming from Itachi.~ I stayed there for a while longer before going downstairs to sleep.

Hikari's Pov

Dream

I sat on the roof of the Academy, my feet hanging over the edge. Children and parents stood at an assembly and the Hokage stood at the front and spoke to all the children. They were going to start at the Academy the following day so this was like an opening ceremony.

I caught a glimpse of Naruto and Sasuke. They were on opposite sides of the area and they were both smiling in excitement. I had promised them that I would come to support them and I kept my promise. He spoke for a few more minutes before he released them to their guardians.

Sasuke and Naruto both looked up to me and grinned and I smiled back. I wanted to congratulate them both but I had to wait until they were all the kids went to their parents I decided to go see Naruto first.

I waited until he was alone then I snuck up and hugged him from behind. He gasped loudly in terror at his attacker. "I'm so proud of you Naruto!" I exclaimed as I set him down. He turned around and gave me his famous grin. "You'll be a great ninja in no time!"

"You bet Hikari-sensei!" he said in excitement. "And one day I'll be Hokage! And…" He paused for a moment. "I'll defeat you in battle!" I grinned widely at his bold statement.

"Then I am no longer you're sensei," I said smoothly. He looked at me strangely. "From now on we're rivals!" I raised my hand and he gave me a high five.

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed as he turned and ran off. "See ya later Hikari! I need to start training!" I waved after him happily.

I found Sasuke walking home by himself. I decided to sneak up on him too so I hid quietly. I watched him walk by and as soon as he did I tackled him to the ground. He fell forward on his stomach and gasped quietly. I hugged him and smiled.

"Congrats Sasuke!" I exclaimed. "You're on your way to being an amazing shinobi!" He tried to look up at me but it was no use.

"Thanks Hikari-sensei," he mumbled. "Now get off of me!" He struggled again and I got off quickly. He stood up and brushed himself off while I laughed at his expression. I gave him another hug and he sighed as he hugged me back.

"You'll defeat Itachi someday Sasuke," I said seriously. "You'll just have to train harder than ever before."

"He's not the only one I'm going to defeat," he said boldly. He let go of me and pushed me away slowly. He looked up a few inches and into my eyes confidently. "I'm going to defeat you Hikari-sensei!"

I smiled down at him and thought about Naruto for a moment. "I guess I'm no longer your sensei Sasuke," I said solemly. I looked at him happily. "From now on we're rivals!" He beamed up at me and I smiled back. He stuck out his hand and I took it. We shook hands.

"Rivals," he said happily. He pulled me forward and hugged me. "Hikari," he began. I looked at him. "Don't ever leave." I smiled down at him sadly and hugged him back. "Promise me."

I thought about everything for a moment. I had an extremly talented sensei, two best friends, and the love of my life all in this village. I never wanted to leave. Life was perfect here.

"I promise."

End Dream

I woke up crying. I sat up and tried to slow my tears but they kept falling faster and faster. I broke my most precious promise and that cost me everything. I was forced to leave by Itachi and Pein and when I did leave Itachi killed every person in his clan, including my dearest friend. Sasuke… I'll never forgive myself. I could have tried to stop him. I could have tried. I'm sorry…

~What is wrong with me lately? I haven't cried in years and now I'm sobbing every day!~ I forced myself to quit sobbing after a few seconds and got out of bed. ~No more tears. I can't change the past.~ I dressed quickly and I wiped away any trace that I had been crying. I strapped my weapons pouch to my thigh.

I stopped getting ready when I looked down at my nails. Purple nailpolish. ~Shoot! I forgot to wash it off!~ All Akatsuki members wore purple nailpolish, even the guys. I was about to wash it off but stopped. Other girls wear nailpolish so its not a big deal, hopefully.

I sighed at my stupidity before walking out of the room. I knocked on Itachi's door loudly. "Itachi," I called quietly. No answer. I tried again. No answer. I opened the door and saw a note on his bed. It read: **Icatai, not Itachi.** Stupid Uchiha knew that I'd say Itachi. I continued reading. **I'll be back late tonight.****Try not to get into trouble during my absence.**I burned the paper into ashes and threw the ashes in the trash bin. I didn't want anyone to find out his identity.

The fridge and cabinets were fully stocked. I grabbed an apple and walked out the door. Class would start in about two hours so I decided to go a little early to look around. Not many people were out on the streets and those who were didn't pay attention to me. I continued walking until I came to the Academy doors. They were locked so I quickly picked them open.

I locked the doors back before walking on. The area was dim from the lack of sunlight but it didn't bother me. I actually prefered the dark. I walked down the halls and looked into the many different classrooms. The one I stopped at read: Last Year Students. I walked in and looked around.

There were many different levels to the room. A pathway was marked down the center and ended at the last level where the teacher taught. A long desk was on each level on either side of the pathway. It was a pretty nice place altogether and I liked it. I looked at the clock on the sensei's desk. **5:45. **I still had an hour before I was supposed to be here.

I sighed and walked out of the classroom. I walked down the hall and out the back door. A large training area laid before me and I smirked. ~I guess I can warm up.~ I approached the target area picked up the targets. I moved them to high places and low places all around me. The last target I put behind a boulder looking rock.

I smiled at myself as I took out several kunai knives. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I jumped into the air and flipped upside down, eyes still closed. I threw my kunai knives in all directions quickly and silently. I launched my arms in opposite directions as I let my last two kunais fly. Another set of my kunais connected with them and they were sent in other directions. I flipped backwards and landed softly in a crouched position. I looked up and opened my eyes. All of the targets were pierced in dead center. I walked to the hidden target behind the rock and it too was nailed.

I smiled in triumph as I collected my kunais and repeated the skill. They all hit perfectly again. After about 10 rounds I quit and moved the targets back to their original places. I looked for a clock and found one on the outside of the building. **6:27.**

I moaned quietly. Why did I have to come so early? Oh well. I made a few handsigns and transported into the building. I went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Not a hair out of place, as usual. I didn't even have a sweat going. I heard a door open in the distance. Then a few voices.

I recognized one of them as Iruka from yesterday but I couldn't tell who the other person was. I quickly transported outside and onto the roof of the building to keep them from seeing me. More senseis went into the building and a few students too.

They wouldn't stop coming all of a sudden. I laid down on the roof and looked up at the clouds as I waited for a chance to enter alone. It was almost time for class to start when everyone was inside. I quickly jumped down and entered the building unnoticably. Many students were still in the halls talking to each other thankfully. I shifted around them and found the classroom from earlier.

It was empty. No one was in here yet so I decided to pick out a seat. I sat on the second level at the the end of the center table. I stared out the window and thought about the last time I came here. It was with my two best friends. I controled my tears this time when I thought about the one I would never see.

After a while people started to shift into the room. They took their seats while I still gazed out the window. I felt someone come up behind me but I didn't turn around.

"You're in my seat," a boy's voice said coldly. "Move." I ignored the rude remark and pretended not to hear him. I felt him get angry but I didn't really care at the moment. I was having the perfect scene pass through my head. He repeated what he'd said but I replied the same way.

He gripped my shoulder tightly and I finally turned around to face him. My eyes widened in shock. The boy looked so similar to Itachi. He had almost black blue hair that ended in an open point at the back of his black eyes and only slightly less sharp features aligned his face. The apperance was so alike that I almost gaped. His black eyes bored into mine angrily. I gazed back into his.

When I broke from his gaze I quickly removed his hand from my shoulder. "Can't you sit somewhere else?" I asked apatheticly. I turned to face forward but kept my eyes on the raven-haired boy. "Just sit there." I pointed to the spot beside me and he glared at me hatefully. Even his glare reminded me of Itachi.

He crossed his arms over his chest and sat down next to me and grimaced. "Stuborn girl," I heard him murmur quietly. I gasped silently.

Flashback

"You can have this back after training," I said in an amused tone. I had taken Sasuke's favorite toy and placed it my bag.

"Give it back Hikari-sensei!" He exclaimed as he tried to reach for it.

"Not a chance." I smiled in victory as Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

"Stuborn girl," he murmered. I laughed at his statement and messed up his hair. He smiled back and we continued training.

End Flashback

I looked at him again and he shifted his arms onto his desk and placed his chin on top of one of them. He still looked angry but he wasn't looking at me. That's when I realized it. He didn't remind of Itachi so much. He reminded me of Sasuke. My eyes began to water slighlty and I turned from him quickly and wiped the tears away. ~Not again…~

He noticed my sudden movement and looked over at me from the corner of his eye. He seemed to feel my sudden mood swing because he sighed and turned towards me.

"Look," he began coldly. "I apologize for insulting yo-." I turned around and flicked him in the forehead to cut him off. I left a red spot in its center and he looked up at it and grimaced before looking at me in annoyance.

"What?" I began with a smile. "Did you think that you were insulting me?" I smiled a little wider. "I get the stuborn part just about everyday and calling me a girl doesn't mean anything because I am one." I smirked at his irritated expression before continuing. "I was thinking about someone you remind me of. That's why I was upset." My smirk died down and I turned away. "And I'd rather not talk about him…" My voice trailed off as I looked back out the window.

The boy looked at me in confusion and was about to speak when Iruka walked in. I turned forward, all signs of saddness gone. He also turned forward and looked to Iruka.

"Alright students," he said as he walked down the pathway. "As you all know, today we will be taking the graduation exam but before that, I would like to introduce you to a new student." He looked at me and smiled. "Please stand Hikari."

I stood up and put on a small grin. All the students in the classroom looked at me and I tried to hide my discomfort. I'd never had this many people around me and I was nervous.

"This is Hikari Phoenix," Iruka began as he gestured towards me. "Can you please tell us your age and home village?" I nodded.

"I'm around 14 years old," I said casually. "I don't know my exact age for a certain reason and I don't have a home village. I've never stayed in one village long enough to call it home." I sat down and saw everyone's eyes on me. I almost blushed from the attention so I closed my eyes to hide my feelings.

"Alright then," Iruka said with a laugh. He turned back towards the class and began to speak. I felt the boy's stare and I turned towards him. Sure enough, he was looking at me suspiciously. I gave him a questioning look and he turned back to Iruka without a word.

I tuned him out while I looked at my classmates innconspicuosly. There were around 28 of us. They all looked excited and I started to listen because I wanted to know why.

"Now for the graduation exam, you will do the Clone Jutsu." ~That's the graduation test? How simple.~ "When you are called, come to the next room." With that Iruka called the first student and walked into the next room.

Everyone began to talk to one another in excitement. I didn't blame them. They had probably been stuck in this Academy for years and they were finally getting out. I looked around again and found Naruto. He was sweating and shaking slightly. Did he not know how to use Clone Jutsu? Another person was called.

I looked at Naruto with worry and decided to go talk to him. As soon as I stood I was bombarded. Almost every girl in the class came over and started to flirt with the raven-haired boy. One of them pushed me forward hard on purpose and I fell into him. He fell out of his seat and onto the floor, with me ontop of him.

All the girls gasped, including me. The boy looked at me strangely and I smiled shyly as I got off. "S-Sorry about that," I said quickly as I put out my hand to help him up. He glared at me before grabbing it. I pulled him up and he dusted himself off. I heard Naruto's name called and I cursed under my breath. He still looked nervous and slightly terrified.

I sighed and closed my eyes. I started to sit back down when a fist came towards my face. I raised my hand swiftly and caught it without a problem. The girl who tried to hit me gasped in shock.

"Do you really think that will work on me?" I asked in apathy. I didn't bother to listen for an answer so I let her go and didn't bother to see who it was. I felt multiple eyes on me but I really didn't care.

Naruto came out of the room and I opened my eyes. He looked depressed and I knew that he had failed. I sighed sadly and watched him leave. I looked back out the window and a second later all the girls started squealing and screaming again. I looked back at the boy and saw no emotion in his eyes, except for irritation in the back of them.

Boy's Pov

Hikari was pushed into me and I lost my balance. Next thing I know, we are both on the floor, her on top of me. Her face was millimeters from mine and hair fell around my face. I almost blushed but quickly controlled the urge and looked at her, giving her a strange look.

"S-Sorry about that," she said quickly as she tried to get up. She almost fell back on me but caught herself. When she got up she put her hand out to help me up. I hesistated for a moment and glared at her before taking it. She pulled me up and I dusted myself off.

Naruto's name was called and she looked crushed. She sighed, closed her eyes, and started to sit back down. Before she could, one of my annoying fan girls tried to punch her in the face. I gasped unaudibly but didn't react fast enough.

Hikari caught the fist in mid-air and I was surprised. "Do you really think that will work on me?" She asked emotionlessly. She let go of the girl's hand without looking at her. Naruto came out of the room and she opened her eyes. She stared at him and sighed sadly as he left. She looked back out the window and I scowled.

~Why is she worrying about Naruto?~ My name was called and the girl's started shrieking. I was irritated but tried not to show it. Hikari looked back at me for a moment as the girl's screamed my name.

She gaped at me and froze in her seat. Her eyes went wide. "Sa-Sasuke Uchiha?" she asked quietly. I looked at her as the other girls grabbed on to me, telling me good luck and other such nonsense.

"Sasuke Uchiha," Iruka called again. The girls let go of me and I made my way down to the classroom. ~Why did she freeze up at the sound of my name?~

Hikari's Pov

"You're so awesome!" They squealed happily as they clung to him. "Yeah! You'll graduate easily Sasuke!" I froze and gasped. My eyes opened in shock at that name. ~Sasuke!~ I looked at the boy and he looked straight at me, wondering why I stiffened at his name.

"Sa-Sasuke Uchiha?" I asked quietly. That couldn't be him. He died 4 years ago. Itachi told me that he killed everyone. This can't be my best friend. That's impossible.

The boy looked at me for another moment before Iruka's voice rang out. "Sasuke Uchiha." All the girls let him go after a few moments and he stood. He walked through the doors and out of sight.

I turned towards the girls. "Who is that boy?" I asked them.

"How could you not know Sasuke Uchiha!" one of them shrieked. "He's only the hottest guy here!" "And the strongest!" Another one chimed in. They all started gossiping to each other and I looked back towards the window with tears trying to penetrate my eyes.

~Sasuke is _alive? _Itachi _lied _to me? Not only me but the whole Akatsuki too! Why would he lie about that? Why is Sasuke alive? Why didn't he kill him? What's the main reason?~ A million questions moved through my mind and they all built up my anger towards Itachi. He had some explaining to do.

Sasuke came out of the room with the same emotionless expression. The only difference was a slight tinge of confusion in his eyes. He glanced at me for less than a second before he walked out of the classroom and all the girls chased after him.

Finally, my name was called. Saddness vanished in my face and I walked into the room silently. Another man sat near Iruka. "Hello Hikari," Iruka greeted happily. "This is Mizuki, another teacher at this Academy. I smiled and nodded.

"Please make 3 clones of yourself," Mizuki said. I nodded again and made a single handsign. Three perfect clones of myself stood next to me. They all smiled and waved. "Nice job Hikari," Mizuki said with a smile. He signaled me forward and I obeyed.

He picked up a head-band and handed it to me. I smiled brightly, acting very happy. I unwrapped the cloth around my head and tied it in its place.

"Pictures for your ID card will be around 6 tonight," Iruka spoke and I nodded. They both congratulated me again and I walked out of the room after releasing my clones.


	6. Chapter 6: Holder of the Kyubi

Holder of the Kyubi

Hikari's Pov

I walked outside and saw a crowd of excited graduates and their families. I barely got through the people and almost ended up falling on my face when I got to the other side. I caught myself and looked forward. I saw Naruto sitting on a swing saddly.

I took in a deep breath and prepared myself for anything. He was gazing at the ground and tears were in the back of his eyes. "Hey," I greeted as I walked up to him. He looked up at me saddly then looked back down.

"Hey, " he responded quietly. I thought about what to say.

"Don't worry about the exams today Naruto," I said confidently. "You'll pass next time I'm sure of it." He looked up to me quickly and had a look in his eyes that said why-the-heck-is-she-being-nice-to-me. I laughed slightly. "Eveyone needs to be encouraged, including you." I smiled brightly.

"You're Hikari Phoenix, right?" he asked, a little happier now. I nodded and reached my hand out.

"Nice to meet you Naruto," I said polietly. He shook my hand and brightened up suddenly. I heard murmurs behind me.

Some adults and kids were eyeing him evily. "Hey that kid…"

"Yeah that's "the" kid and he's the only one who failed."

"Well that's good."

"We can't have him become a shinobi. Since he is-."

"Hey we can't talk about that. But who's that girl with him?"

"Must be another freak."

I turned around to the people talking about us and put on an emotionless face. "If you have something to say to me," I began, my voice daring. "Say it to my face." They all immediantly shut up and began to disperse at my intimidatting glare and I smirked at their cowardness.

I looked back to Naruto and he was blinking in surprise. "How did you do that?" he asked excitedly. "You cleared out like 50 people in a second!" He jumped off the swing and onto the ground in front of me. "By the way… I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I'm going to be the next Hokage!"

I smiled at his introduction. ~He still has the same dream… I'm glad he hasn't given up on it.~ He caught a glimpse of my head-band and was sad again. I sighed and playfully punched him in the arm. He frowned childishly at me and I grinned.

"How about we take a walk," I said. "My sensei's not expecting me until this evening so I have the whole day off." I ruffled his hair quickly before turning and walking away. "Maybe I'll treat you to some ramen if you're lucky!" I called back, remembering his favorite food.

In less than a second he was at my side. "Alright!" he exclaimed. "Let's go!" He pumped his fists in the air and walked faster while I kept the same pace.

"Just take your time," I said as I combed my hair behind my ear. "We're going for a walk first." He frowned at me and slowed his pace to mine. He pretended to be upset but I read his happy expression. He was glad to have company.

We walked through the village for a little while before I spoke again.

"Hey Naruto?" I began quietly. He looked at me, questioning my low voice. "Why did you paint the Hokages' monument?" I looked down slightly at him. He was probably four inches shorter than me right now.

"I love to pull pranks!" he said with enthusiasm. "They're awesome! And the Hokage monument was the most visual one yet!" He laughed at his treachery and I smiled shyly. "I have a question for you Hikari." I looked to him. "Aren't you a little _old_ for the Academy?" He made it sound like I was elderly or something.

"I'm only fourteen Naruto!" I exclaimed playfully. "But you're right. I am a little old for the Academy." He looked about at me curiously. I had been thinking over what I would say if anyone asked me this. "Icatai-sensei has been training me most of my life. We never had a reason to come to an Academy until…" I stopped talking and took in a deep breath to build tension.

I looked away from Naruto and he pressed on. "What happened Hikari?" he asked loudly.

"Nothing important," I said quickly as I put on a fake smile. "Anyway, Icatai wants me to be part of a village and he wants me to learn about teamwork on an actual squad. That's a few reasons why I'm attending the Academy."

Naruto didn't look like he believed me and he was about to speak again when a voice came from behind us.

"Naruto." We turned around and saw Mizuki. He had a serious face on.

"Mizuki-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I need to talk to you Naruto," he said seriously. He glanced over at me, asking an unspoken question and I nodded in understanding. I smiled at Naruto one last time before turning and walking off.

"See ya later Naruto!" I called back. I sensed his saddness at me leaving and I sighed quietly. Mizuki wanted to talk with him alone and I didn't want to intrude.

Naruto's Pov

Mizuki took me to a rooftop and began telling me about Iruka-sensei's past and why Iruka-sensei treated me the way he did. It turns out that Iruka-sensei was a prank puller too! I smiled at that then Mizuki-sensei started talking about something else that I wasn't expecting.

"There is one other way you can graduate Naruto," he said seriously. I looked at him and blinked in confusion. "If you do what I tell you, you'll become a ninja, just like Iruka, Hikari, and myself."

I smiled widely. "Anything Mizuki-sensei!" I exclaimed. "What do I have to do?!" Mizuki-sensei stood up and smiled at me happily before telling me the task I had to complete. I thought about it for a moment.

"Just think Naruto," he began. "If you graduate, you'll get to spend more time with your new friend, Hikari. But, think about this." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Will she still be your friend if you continue to fail?"

I looked up at Mizuki-sensei. What he said made a lot of sense and I nodded. "Alright!" I exclaimed as I jumped up. "I'll do it!" I ran off towards my destination happily, thinking about Hikari and my future dream. I didn't see Mizuki smiling evilly behind me.

Hikari's Pov

I finished my walk, memorizing all the new features and remembering the old. I stopped in front of a huge restaurant. Ramen didn't sound so appealing anymore so I decided to get some hot and spicy rice from here instead. Konan made the best and it was one of my favorite restaurant was finely decorated and soft music played in the background.

Looking around I noticed some of my other classmates celebrating together. I walked passed them as I headed for a booth in the back, avoiding eye contact. My mission may be about creating relationships but I wanted to get through one day without becoming Ms. Talk-ative. I still had my head down when I sat down and sighed as I was out of their view.

"What?" I looked up at the voice I heard and saw no one other than Sasuke Uchiha himself, sitting on the inside of the booth beside me. He leaned away from me as his impassive voice rang out. I stood up quickly and looked down at him. He was in the middle of eating some white rice.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I was kind of sneaking in here and I didn't think anyone would be back here." I grinned shyly as he sat normally and looked up at me with no emotion.

"Now you know I'm here," he stated. "So leave, now." He turned back to his food and began to eat again. I almost gaped at his rudeness. Did he honestly just order me around _again?_

I smiled innocently and sat opposite of him in the booth, totally ignoring his demand. He stopped eating again and looked at me with annoyance. "You look like you could use some company," I said happily. I glanced at the headband around his forehead then pointed at mine. "We can celebrate together." I smiled and he frowned as the waitor came and took my order.

He didn't speak as I waited for my food, only continued to glare at me. I, in return, smiled sweetly to agrivate him. In a few minutes my hot and spicy rice came and my water came.

I picked up a few pieces of rice and put them in front of his mouth. "Try some?" I asked. He shook his head and I dropped them on his now empty plate. "Alright. I'll understand if the great Uchiha can't handle some hot rice." I sighed over dramaticly. "Oh well! More for me!" I picked up a big helping and stuffed it in my mouth, hiding how spicy it was from my face.

Sasuke smirked before picking up his chopsticks and grabbing a bigger helping off my plate. "I'm positive that I can handle it," he said in annoyance. He put it in his mouth and I dropped the chopsticks and chugged about half my water. ~This is definitly hoter than Konan's!~ I put the water down and let out a low gasp. I glanced over to Sasuke and noticed his confuzed look, wondering about my reaction.

In a matter of seconds, Sasuke stopped chewing and dropped his chopsticks. He took his drink and drained the rest of it before taking mine and doing the same. I began to laugh quietly as he panted slightly. When he stopped he looked up at me with a glare.

"Stupid, annoying girl," he mumbled as he stood up. He gave me a death glare before stepping out of the booth.

"He-Hey," I gasped between laughs. He looked at me and I calmed down. "I'm sorry. I _really_ didn't know that it was going to be _that_ hot. Forgive me?" I smiled innocently as he let out a low 'hn' before walking out of sight.

The waitor came back and handed me my receipt and I nodded in thanks. I waited a while until my classmates left.

Once they were gone I sighed and looked at my half eaten order. I didn't bother finishing it so I got up and headed for the desk to pay. I gave the woman my receipt and paid her after looking at the clock. **5:55**. ~Guess its time for pictures.~ The trip to the Academy wasn't long but I had to wait in line for a few minutes.

Finally, it was my turn. I decided to lean on my right side against the wall for my picture. My blonde hair framed my face smoothly and my eyes were soft and mysterious in the photo. Honestly, I looked like one of those beautiful actors from the Make-Out Paradise Series. I laughed at that before giving my picture back to the photographer.

He said that since I was new that Icatai would have to fill out all the personal information. I gave him a fake smile as the thought of Itachi writing down all my _personal _things ran through my mind.

Hikari's Pov

It was still early so I decided to look for another training area in the village. I asked around and after a long walk I made it to an open area on the outskirts of the village. A pond was on one side of the clearing and trees surronded it. I smirked in excitement. I made sure that no one was in a ½ mile perimeter around me before I began.

I did my normal round of kunai and shuriken aiming then I began to spar with my shadow clones. I purposly gave them more chakra than me to improve my skills faster. It was 3 on 1 but I beat them easily.

I continued training until after sunset. When I stopped I wasn't sweating or panting, like normal, everything was too easy. The only time my training was difficult was when I was fighting against Itachi, Pein, or Madara. No one else ever helped my stats increase. I layed down on the grass and looked up at the stars.

I took in deep breaths and organized my feelings. I was… confuzed. I was beyond happy that Sasuke was alive but I couldn't shake the pain of Itachi decieving me all these years. Luckily, I was able to control my emotions during class but I let them all out during training. Anyone could tell by the way I mangled every part of the clearing. I began to relax after a while as I thought about what I was going to say to Itachi.

A twig snapped and I froze, now alert to everything. I felt a familiar presence pass through the trees and I sat up. ~Naruto? What's he doing in the forest in the middle of the night?~ Something orange moved quickly through the trees. I stood up and ran after him. He wouldn't be difficult to catch and I was quickly up with him.

"Naruto?" I asked curiously. He had a huge scroll on his back. "Why are you out here so la-." I looked at him and saw him and saw that it wasn't really Naruto. The fake Naruto looked at me with shock. I glared at him and was about to punch him when I felt another presence approach.

"Naruto!" The fake Naruto looked over and I followed his gaze. It was a Iruka-sensei. "Hurry! Pass me the scroll! Mizuki is after us!" ~Mizuki?~ I looked into Iruka's eyes and saw that he was also a fake. I felt a darker presence from him and I threw a shuriken in his direction.

It was a perfect shot but he dodged it. He was prepared for an attack from us. He may have dodged it but it slowed him down while the fake Naruto gave him a direct hit in the gut. He flew out of the trees and skidded across the ground. I landed on the ground beside the fake Naruto. The fake Naruto fell back against the tree from exhaustion and I looked at him warrily. I felt a familiar presence in him so I left him be.

The fake Iruka pushed himself up and transformed back to his normal self. "How did you know that I wasn't Iruka?" Mizuki asked. I smirked and pointed at the fake Naruto.

"Because he is," I said confidently. Iruka transformed back to himself and laughed slightly. He was bleeding badly in a lot of places and he was hardly able to move. I stood in front of him protectivly as Mizuki stood up.

"I see…" He smirked evily at me and I took out a kunai. He chuckled evily and looked at Iruka. "You'd even transform into what killed your parents to protect him?" I looked at Mizuki in confuzement and anger when he spoke of Naruto as a murder. He eyed my expression and grinned. "Oh… you don't know what he is girl and you still accept him. Maybe after you hear what he is you'll think differently!"

I sensed Naruto's presence nearby and I found that he was hiding from the scene. I looked at Mizuki seriously. "What are you implying?" I asked. He began laughing madly and Iruka cringed. I watched him and showed no emotion. I'd dealt with plenty of madmen before but… I gripped my kunai tighter. They had never mentioned a friend.

"If you only knew," he gasped between breaths. "Your first friend in the village is the Demon Fox!" I stiffened slightly. ~What?~ Pein had told me about the nine-tailed beasts before but… I looked in Naruto's direction inconspicuously. ~It's inside Naruto? Him of all people…~ I looked back at Mizuki.

Iruka's Pov

"Even if you're telling the truth," Hikari began. "There's no way that he is the Demon Fox anymore!" Mizuki gasped quietly at her statement. "I may have just met him but I know that he's not a monster. He wouldn't hurt anyone for revenge. I accept him for who he is."

I smiled and Mizuki grimaced. "You don't belive that he seeks revenge?!" Mizuki declared. "If you use the skills in that scroll, you can do whatever you want. There's no way that Demon Fox wouldn't try to use that power!"

"Yeah…" I replied quietly. Hikari looked somewhat shocked at my statement. "The Demon Fox would do that but Naruto is different." I smiled sadly. He isn't the Demon Fox anymore." I looked to Mizuki with determination. "He is a member of Konoha. He's Naruto Uzumaki!"

Hikari smiled and nodded. "Other people may shun Naruto but he will always have Iruka and me," she said confidently. "I've always accepted him and I'm not about to change." She mumbled something but I couldn't hear it.

"Whatever," Mizuki replied. He took the large shuriken off his back. "I said I'd finish you later… but I changed my mind."

"Hikari!" I exclaimed. I tried to stand but I could hardly move. "Hurry and get out of here before you get yourself killed!" She stood her ground anyway. ~She's only a Genin! She'll die if she fights Mizuki!~

Hikari's Pov

"I won't abandon either of you," I said confidently. "Even if it were to cost my life." I smirked inwardly. As if anyone around here could pose a threat to my life. Only a select few even came close to killing me and that was on accident.

"Foolish child!" Mizuki exclaimed. He spun the shuriken and lunged forward. "Then you die as well!"

He launched the spinning shuriken towards me. Iruka gasped. I smirked confidently. As soon as the shuriken was close I thrusted my kunai straight up through the center hole, kept it spinning while I pulled it back quickly and spun around, and with the flick of my wrist I fired it right back at him with twice the force.

Mizuki and Iruka looked at me wide-eyed for a second in surprise and Mizuki's face was horror struck. He barely avoided being beheaded when he moved. It sliced a deep gash in his neck but not a fatal one. As soon as he moved however, Naruto jumped into the clearing and nailed Mizuki in the face. He flew backwards and Naruto landed a few yards away from us.

"Stay away from them or I'll kill you!" he exclaimed angrily. He held the scroll in front of him and he started glaring daggers at Mizuki. Mizuki got up and wiped the blood from his chin.

"Stupid punk!" He exclaimed.

"Naruto!" Iruka exclaimed. "You idiot! Why did you come out! Run away!" Naruto stood his ground as I ran next to him.

Mizuki stood up. "You'll pay for that you brats!" He charged forward. "I'll kill you both in one shot!" You got in a fighting stance and were ready when he came. Naruto made a hand-sign.

"Go ahead and try!" Naruto exclaimed. "I'll return the pain a thousand times over!" Mizuki yelled angrily as he kept moving forward. Suddenly, hundreds of Naruto shadow clones appeared.

Mizuki stopped and looked around franticly. "What?! I crossed my arms over my chest and smirked.

"What's wrong," I asked innocently. "Weren't you going to kill us in one shot!" He would have glared at me if he wasn't so freaked out. I found the real Naruto and looked at him. "He's all yours."

Naruto chuckled and hit his fist into his other palm. "Alright," he said. "Let's get started. All the Naruto clones jumped in and Mizuki screamed.

In a few minutes, they had beatened him to a pulp and he laid unconscious on the ground. "Nice work Naruto," I said proudly. I bent down next to Iruka and put his arm over my shoulder. I stood slowly as I helped him up. He flinched slightly in pain but could stand okay once he was up.

"Thank you Hikari," he said. He took his arm away and the sudden movement made him wince and topple forward. Naruto and I steadied him. That's when I noticed a hole pierced through his back and it was deep. Blood seaped out of it slowly.

"Here Iruka-sensei," I said soothingly. I made a few handseals and a light green aura surronded my hand as I finished. I placed my hand on Iruka's injury and he cringed and let out a low gasp as it began to heal. The injury healed quickly and a small scar was left behind.

Removing my hand made Iruka pant softly as all the pain disappeared slowly from his back. Our sensei turned to me and looked shocked. When I reached to heal a gash on his arm he moved away slightly. I looked up with puzzlement. Naruto and him looked astonished . The healing light disappeared.

"Wow," Naruto spoke. "How'd you do that?" The same question was written on Iruka's face. I recalled Konan teaching me that a while ago. It was a complicated jutsu now that I thought about it. A Jounin rank jutsu actually.

"My sensei taught me," I half lied. She was like a sensei to me sometimes but it sounded like I meant Ita-Icatai instead. I pretended to look nervous. "Please, don't tell him. I'm not supposed to use it without his permission."

"Your secret is safe with us!" Naruto exclaimed. Iruka and I smiled as we returned our attention to him.

"Hey Naruto," he said. "Close your eyes." Naruto was confuzed but he closed them reluctantly. I had a feeling of what he was going to do and was correct. Iruka untied the headband and tied it around Naruto's forehead.

I grinned slightly when he finished. Naruto opened his eyes slowly and looked at us with confusion.

"Congratulations, on graduating," Iruka said with a smile. The look on Naruto's face made me laugh happily. He smiled brilliantly and tackled Iruka to the ground, causing a gasp from him.

"All right!" Naruto exclaimed. "Thanks Iruka-sensei! You can count on me!" I crossed my arms over my chest as I took in a deep breath. Seeing that I was no longer needed I turned to leave.

When I started to walk off Iruka called after me. I turned my head to him. "Thanks for everything," he said sincerely. I nodded and grinned. "Oh, and Hikari?"

"Yeah?" I questioned with slight innocence.

"I would like to speak with you after class tomorrow, if that's alright." He made it sound like an innocent gesture but the truth was that he wanted to talk about something serious. ~Oh great. Just what I needed.~

"Sure thing," I replied, masking my slight worry. "See you guys tomorrow." I started to walk off again.

"See ya then Hikari!" Naruto exclaimed, full of excitement and anticipation. "I'll save you a seat after I finish getting my picture for my ID card!" I waved back without turning to show my thanks. ~What a day.~


	7. Chapter 7: Shocking First Day as a Ninja

Shocking First Day as a Konoha Ninja

Hikari's Pov

It was close to ten when I arrived back at the house. All the lights were off so I assumed that Itachi wasn't back yet. I shuffled into the house quietly, yawning slightly.

I passed through the kitchen and opened the fridge. A bottle water and a banana served as my late night snack as I took them upstairs. I ate the banana quickly and threw away the peel. The water sat on my desk as I undressed.

I stepped into the shower and turned on the hot water as I recalled the day's events. I "graduated" from the Academy, I became Naruto's friend once again, and most importantly… I sighed as I washed my hair. I found out that my closest friend is alive.

I hit my forehead against the front of the shower wall softly and left it there as the hot liquid washed over me. ~He probably doesn't like me after what I did earlier at the restaurant.~ I chuckled slightly. ~His face was so funny though! Making me laugh like he used to.~

I stepped out of the shower and dried off like normal and put on my pajamas. I placed my new head-band on my desk and smiled sadly at it. I was finally a member of Konoha, my favorite place in the world, but for the wrong reasons. I drank some of the water before taking out my information packet.

I filled in my height, weight, and all those sorts of things as best as I could. The last few pages had training methods and comments meant for Icatai and his signature was needed at the bottom. I walked into the hallway and into his room. He still wasn't back yet. I placed the packet on his bed then went back to my room and shut the door. .

I turned out the lights before sinking into my silky bed. I rested my head on the velvet soft pillow and closed my eyes. ~Wonder how much Sasuke has changed. Naruto certainly hasn't really.~ I remembered Sasuke's voice, his tone. ~He sounded so…cold and his eyes… they were shadowed.~

I drifted off to sleep with a few more thoughts in mind. ~Even if he doesn't remember me, he probably despises the new me now. I mean, I stole his seat in class, I called him a "kid", I practically forced him to eat lunch with me, and finally I tricked him into eating the hottest food on the planet! I need to work on my first impressions.~

I woke up just as the sun began to rise over the horizon, stretching soundlessly. I sat up and combed my fingers through my hair. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes as I got out of bed.

Trudging over to the closest I took out my short blue kimono looking top and my black shorts that almost reached my knees. The kimono had slits cut up to my hips and would have shown a lot of skin if I hadn't have worn shorts. I strapped my weapon pouch on and brushed out my hair. I left it down and straightened it with my weak fire jutsu then wrapped my head-band around my forehead.

I finished all my other daily routine objectives before walking out the door quietly. A large envelope was in the hallway and I picked it up. It had my name on the front as well as the words for the Academy. I grinned as I looked to Itachi's room. The door was open and he was gone.

Walking out the door I forgot to grab breakfast but managed to grab a water from the fridge. It was a peaceful morning and I could feel the excitement radiating from all my classmates as I walked down the streets. I was fixated on finding Itachi however. Where was he?

Walking into the school, I noticed only a few students in the hall. I shrugged it off and walked towards the classroom. Iruka came out of a room on the opposite and smiled when he saw me.

"Hey Hikari," he said happily. I smiled back and walked over to him. I handed him the envelope.

"Here, Iruka-sensei," I began. "I haven't looked at what Icatai-sensei put down so I hope its alright." Iruka nodded as he began to open the document and walk back into the room to examine it with the other senseis.

"Don't forget about meeting with me," Iruka said. "How about a during lunch? Is that okay?"

"Yeah. That's fine. See ya later then Iruka-sensei." I waved and started down the hallway again.

I entered the classroom and it was almost full already. Some boys whistled when I walked in but I ignored them as I searched around the room. As if right on que, a blonde haired kid jumped up from his seat.

"Over here Hikari!" he exclaimed as he waved me over. I smiled, slightly embarressed by his loud voice as I started to walk over. A lot of people gave me weird looks as I greeted him.

"Hey Naruto!" I said happily as came over. "How are you?"

"I'm great Hikari!" he said with a bright smile. "Oh! And I saved you a seat!" He motioned next to him in the middle of the table and I looked up to see who was on the far side next to my seat. The boy was staring at me from the corner of his eyes hatefully as I looked at him. "Sorry Hikari," Naruto said as he scratched the back of his head. "You're going to have to sit by Sasuke."

I shrugged and sat down. "No problem Naruto," I said normally. "As long as I'm sitting next to a friend it doesn't really matter." Naruto smiled happily at my comment before sitting down. Another boy came next to him and started asking why he was here and I tried to ignore the conversation.

I glanced over at Sasuke on my left and he glared at me inconspicuosly. "Can't you leave me alone?" He more demaned than asked. "Are you a stupid fan-girl or something?" I blinked, somewhat startled by his question. Then I began laughing so only he could hear.

"I never would have guessed after yesterday," I teased softly as he glared at me. He looked back forward to avoid any more eye contact. "Come on Uchiha," I said with another laugh as I continued to tease him playfullly. "They aren't _that_ bad."

He looked at me again with the same cold eyes. "You don't know the half of it," he said monotonly. I smirked before looking to Naruto. He was still talking to that boy but stopped at the sound of a girl who had walked up to him.

"Hey, will you let me through?" the girl asked in a fake sweet voice. She had long pink hair and she wore her head-band on top of her head to hold it back. Her red and white kimono was a little longer than mine as well as her black shorts.

"He-Hey, Sakura," Naruto said shyly. Just the way that Naruto froze was a dead give-away that he liked her. I peered to the side of Naruto and she finally noticed me. She looked at me and gasped loudly.

"Wh-Why are you sitting next to Sasuke!?" she exclaimed loudly as she moved Naruto over. He fell out of his chair as the girl came over and stood beside me. "You were sitting by him yesterday too! You better leave my Sasuke alone!" She waved her fist in front of me angrily and I smiled brightly in my mind.

"_Your _Sasuke?" I asked, pretending to be confuzed. I cocked my head to the side with a look of puzzlement. Then I looked back to Sasuke and grinned evily so only he could see. He gave me a don't-you-dare look and I ignored it. "Well, I'd hate to break up a happy couple so…" I stood up and walked out of the aisle. "I guess you can sit here." I looked forward to Sasuke and smiled happily as the girl became over-joyed that I gave up my seat. "I'm sure, you'll thank me later," I whispered as I passed him. He glared at me.

"But Hikari," Naruto said as he got up quickly. "Where are you going to sit?" I looked around the room and saw an empty seat next to a guy on the top row. He had short brown hair in high pony-tail fashion and he rested his head on his desk with a tired look across his face.

"I think I'll sit next to that guy up there," I said as I began walking up to the top row. Naruto mumbled something under his breath and put his head on the table.

The seat open was right behind Sakura, just higher up. I sat down next to the guy and smiled down at him. He looked up at me lazily. "Hi," I greeted happily. "I'm Hikari. What's your name?" He turned his head towards me and sat up.

"Shikamaru Nara," he replied in a tired voice. "You're that new girl, right?" I nodded and he returned his head to his desk. "Wake me up when class starts," he said with a yawn.

"Sure thing," I replied. In a matter of seconds he was asleep. I looked down at Naruto and grinned. That Sakura girl was leaning towards Sasuke, giving him goe-goe eyes which was causing Naruto to glare at Sasuke. Sasuke tried to ignore the both of them.

Girls around the classroom were giving Sakura dirty looks and saying rude things. In the mix of their conversations, Sasuke's name would come up and they would squeal in excitement. I stifled a laugh. ~Sasuke really does have it bad!~

Suddenly, Naruto jumped onto the table directly in front of Sasuke, bent down to look him in the eyes, and glared at him. Sasuke glared back and Sakura stood up.

"Hey Naruto!" She exclaimed. "Get out of Sasuke's face!" Naruto ignored her and I stood up.

"Sasuke kick his butt!" A few classmates exclaimed. "Yeah!" Almost everyone was yelling at him to beat Naruto up, the girls screamed the loudest. I walked down to them quickly and jumped onto the desk on Naruto's right side. I pulled him slightly.

"Come on Naruto," I said as I slightly pulled. "Let's not get into a fight." He ignored me and didn't budge. I decided to push instead but it still didn't work. I sighed.

"I can take him Hikari!" Naruto exclaimed as he continued to glare Sasuke down. Sasuke did the same.

"I'm not saying you can't but I'd rather you not get into any more trouble." I finally pushed him hard enough to move him over. "Besides," I began, so only he could hear. "You should wait for him to be alone first." He caught my drift but glared angrily at Sasuke one more time.

"Hey!" A few of Sasuke's fan girls exclaimed. "No one can beat Sasuke! Especially not that loser Naruto." Sasuke looked at me with an angry expression, mad about my comment for some reason.

I turned so I was facing Sasuke directly on the desk and looked at him innocently. "I've never seen you fight so I really can't bet on anyone, right?" I smiled shyly. Sasuke gave me a death glare and looked like he was about to punch me.

"Beat her up instead!" The fan-girls screamed. "Wait! Not her!" Some of the guys yelled back in disapproval. A guy in the row right behind me turned around fast. "Uchiha's gonna beat up a girl!" He hit me in the back and I fell forward, coming face-to-face with Sasuke's lips.

Everyone around us gasped as we accidently kissed. My eyes widened in shock as I looked into the equally shocked Uchiha's eyes. When I didn't pull back right away Sasuke pushed me off and I fell back on the table. He wiped his mouth and tongue on his bandaged sleeve. I just layed there exasperated. ~Did Sasuke and I just _kiss?_~

I sat up and Sasuke gave me a –you-_are-_a-stupid-fan-girl expression while all the girls in the class gave me nasty looks and looked ready to attack. I smiled disarmingly as I jumped off the desk.

Sasuke's Pov

~She doesn't think I can beat that idiot Naruto! I'll show her!~ I glared at Hikari, angry that she just basically told me that Naruto was stronger than me. I was about say something when a kid in the row in front of us hit her in the back.

Hikari fell forward and our lips met. At first I was shocked then I began to feel her lips on mine. She didn't pull away so I pushed her off before she started to actually kiss me. Everyone around us gasped and I wiped my mouth and tongue on my bandaged sleeve as she sat up. She stared at me for a minute and I glared back ~I knew she was just another stupid fan girl!~

She jumped off the desk as Sakura and my other fan-girls approached her. "Hey girls," she began with a hint of mock fear and laugher in her voice. "I didn't mean to kiss your boyfriend. It was an accident."

She waved her hands in front of herself in an innocent gesture as Sakura punched her fists together angrily and glared at Hikari evilly as the other fan-girls backed her up. I glared at her again as she called me their _boyfriend_. ~Why does this girl get on my nerves so much? It's annoying and I keep falling for all her attempts at teasing me! It's like she _knows _my annoyances or something!~

She walked backwards to her seat and stood next to it as Shikamaru began to wake up. Naruto walked over beside her and tried to help out. "She really didn't mean it," he said, slightly scared. "Just imagine what would have happened if I had been the one that that guy pushed instead of Hikari."

The girls thought for a moment then their faces turned sickening as the image of Naruto and me kissing came to mind. I for one was relieved that Naruto wasn't the one. "I am deeply sorry and I assure you that it won't happen again," Hikari said, sounding honest.

I don't know why but her last statement hurt slightly. Why? I noticed Iruka walk into the room. He came in the classroom and looked at the crowd around Hikari. She smiled at him happily, asking for help.

"Alright class," he began. "Take your seats." The girls seperated after glaring at her again. She thanked Naruto for the help and sat in her seat.

"You are a troublesome girl," Shikamaru whispered to her. I looked at them through the corner of my eye. She gave him a playful smile as Iruka walked to the front of the room.

"Guess its just my nature," she whispered back sweetly. I clenched my fists in annoyance. Why does she unsettle my emotions so easily? I was brought back to reality when Iruka began class.


	8. Chapter 8: New Team, Old Friends

New Teams, Old Friends, and Future Allies

Hikari's Pov

"Beginning today all of you are real ninjas," he began happily. "But you are still merely rookie "Genin." The hard part has just started." I smiled. ~You got that right. I remember when I was just beginning. Mostly bruises and scratches but it gets better.~

"So today we will be creating 3 man teams and each of you will have a Jounin sensei." He eyed me for only a second, acknowledging to me that this was what I'd been waiting for. I smiled back in fake anticipation, knowing that most of my previous sensei's were S-Ranked criminals. What could a Jounin teach me? "You will follow that sensei's instructions as you complete the assigned duties."

He looked at the clipboard he was holding and began to read it to himself. I scanned the classroom and saw all kinds of emotions being played out. Everyone was happy that they were becoming ninjas yet they were all nervous and somewhat scared. I rested my head in my hands like Sasuke and waited for Iruka to continue.

"Alright," he said after reading to himself. "Since there are 28 of you, one team will have four people instead of three. We tried to balance each team's strengths." Mumbles and whispers were heard around the room as Iruka began naming the teams off. "Next, Team 7, Haruno Sakura, Naruto Uzumaki-." Naruto cheered and Sakura looked sad. "Uchiha Sasuke, and Phoenix Hikari. You are the lucky team of four."

I smiled when he finished calling my team. I was on both Naruto _and _Sasuke's team! What luck! Sakura cheered when Sasuke's name was called but pouted when she heard my name though.

Naruto stood up and pointed a finger at Sasuke. "Iruka-sensei," Naruto complained. "Why does an outstanding ninja like me have to be on the same team as that jerk Sasuke!" Iruka looked up from his clipboard and I sighed. ~Naruto. Just leave things be!~

"Sasuke's grades were first among all the original students," Iruka explained. "You Naruto! Had the worst. We have to do this to balance the teams, understand?" Some people snickered and laughed as Naruto sat back down.

"Just don't get in my way, loser," Sasuke said coldly. Naruto stood up and waved his fist angrily.

"What did you call me!" he exclaimed. Sakura stood up.

"Give it a rest Naruto!" she exclaimed back. Iruka sighed as they fought. Sasuke just sat there looking at two of his idiot teammates with an I'm-too-good-for-this look. I cleared my throat loudly and Naruto and Sakura turned to look at me.

"Come on team," I began. "Let's not bite each others heads off the first day." I looked at Sasuke from the corner of my eyes. He looked back apatheticly. "That goes for you too, Uchiha," I whispered. He gave a low "hn" before turning back around. Naruto crossed his arms and sat down.

Sakura raised her hand and spoke. "But why is _she _on our team?" she asked in annoyance, pointing to me.

"Well, Sakura," Iruka said as he pulled out the envelope I had given him earlier. "According to her sensei, she will probably be the best student known to the Academy since Uchi-." He cut himself off before finishing the name of an amazing shinobi, the shinobi Uchiha Itachi. She sat down with her arms crossed in defeat.

I smiled inside. Did Itachi really think I was that good. Then I mentally gasped. ~What if he put how strong I really am? What if he told them all my secret abilitiles? What if he made it sound like I was Anbu level?~ I took in a breath. ~Itachi's not stupid. I don't have to worry. Whatever he put will be alright.~

I heard a small amount of whispering around the room when Iruka cut himself off. Naruto as well as ¾ of the class were confused. Sasuke looked like he was going to kill Iruka for almost bringing up the name of his older brother and anyone who was associated with being like Itachi.. A few others looked me over in a strange way and I smiled uncomfortably.

"Anyway," Iruka said as he scratched the back of his head. "I'll finish calling off the teams." He rambled off the rest of the teams and I sunk back in my chair slightly. Almost all the eyes in the classroom were on me. ~Thanks Iruka. You just had to mention that I was almost as good as Itachi.~ I sighed when Iruka finally finished. "Ok, this afternoon we'll intoduce Jounin senseis. Take a break until then."

All of us stood up and began to walk out the door. I stopped in the hallway and leaned up against the wall, waiting for Iruka. Naruto stopped next to me. "What are you waiting for Hikari?" He asked. "Let's go get some lunch! I'm starving!" He started to pull me and I smiled.

"Iruka wanted to talk with me, remember?" Naruto let me go and I let out a low chuckle. "Maybe next time." He frowned and began to walk off when an idea came to mind. "Wait, Naruto!" He turned back to me and I grinned evily. I ran up to him and whispered something in his ear.

When I finished, he smiled evily. "Good plan Hikari!" Naruto ran off happily and I smiled. ~Man, Sasuke's really going to hate me after this.~ I turned back around and came face to face with the Uchiha himself.

He looked into my eyes angrily. I looked into his without fear. "Do you need something?" I asked as the hallway became empty.

"Hn" was all he spoke as he brushed passed me, hitting my shoulder purposely. "Just don't hold me down, loser," he said with a smirk. I turned and watched him walk off.

"Watch it Uchiha," I said confidently. "You'll be the one holding me down." He turned back around and smirked at my comment before walking out of the Academy. I smiled saddly as Iruka approached me from behind.

"Ready to go Hikari," he said with a slight tone of seriousness. I looked up at him and nodded. "Alright, follow me." He walked out of the Academy and I followed close behind.

We walked side-by-side down the street talking about random things. In a few minutes we arrived at an apartment looking house and Iruka knocked on the door. I clasped by hands behind my back and whistled quietly as we waited for an answer.

"Come in." I recognized the voice immediantly and Iruka opened the door. I walked in first and found the Hokage sitting at a table. Next to him was the silver-haired man who had escourted Itachi and me to the village.

When the Hokage saw me he smiled and motioned for me to sit down. I obeyed and sat across from him at the table. The silver-haired man looked down at me with unreadable eyes then looked back at the Hokage.

"Hikari Phoenix?" he questioned curiously. "You're putting her on my team?" The Hokage nodded and took the pipe from his mouth.

"She shouldn't be a burden," he began with a soft grin. "Besides, your test is built around the reason she's here so I believe she'll make a good asset." He looked at me and returned the pipe to his mouth.

Iruka came up behind me and glanced at the masked man before looking down at me. "This is your new sensei, Hikari," he said happily. The man looked back down at me again and I smiled.

"Nice to meet you again," I said. He appeared to smile as he put his hand in his pocket.

"Likewise," he said in a laid-back tone. "I'm Kakashi Hatake." I looked at him wide-eyed for a moment before collecting myself.

"It's a pleasure to meet The Copy Ninja," I replied happily. He looked a little startled that I knew his nickname. "Icatai has his own Bingo book and we travel so I learned a little about you. I'm glad that you'll be teaching me." I looked up to Iruka. "So, what did you want to talk about exactly?"

He grinned then looked to the other two men. "Actually, I kind of told them about last night," he answered with an apologetic tone. I looked up at him in fake anger and crossed my arms over my chest.

"So much for keeping it a secret," I mumbled. Kakashi heard and smiled.

"Why would you want to keep your healing powers a secret?" he asked curiously. I looked up at him and grinned.

"Actually, I only keep secrets when I'm told to do so," I began honestly. "When I came here, Icatai told me that I should only use higher level jutsus, like my healing light, in emergencies because they drain most of my chakra." The last part was half-truth half-lie but they couldn't tell.

"I see," Kakashi said as he turned to the Hokage. "So, you're putting Naruto on my team?" he asked, changing the subject. The Hokage turned to him and nodded as he pulled the pipe from his mouth.

"Yes," he began seriously. He looked at me for a moment as if asking me to leave now. I stood up. I looked to all three of them one more time before walking towards the door.

"Okay then, I'll see you later today Kakashi," I said as I waved good-bye. I opened up the door and walked out. When I walked out I quickly hid my chakra and leaned against the door, careful to not make a noise this time. ~What did they really want to talk about?~

"Why are you putting Hikari on my team?" Kakashi asked. I heard someone take a seat and I guessed it was Iruka.

"I believe that she will learn the meaning of "teamwork" from you more than any other teacher," the Hokage replied. "Besides, she's the only student who knows what its like to have a strict master. You remember meeting Icatai?"

Iruka stayed silent and Kakashi began to speak again. "He can't be older than 17 and he's the one who trained her all these years." He spoke seriously. "You can tell by looking in his eyes that he's a force to be reckoned with."

Iruka finally started to speak. "The way Hikari acts around him shows that she respects him yet fears him all at once." I listened intently now. "He must be a powerful man to have come this far and with a young student as well. He may be another prodegy."

I heard the Hokage let out a breath. "The most disturbing news is the fact that we have no information on the two of them. It's as if they appeared out of thin air. We have to base the truth off the files that Hikari and Icatai filled out."

I heard the shifting of papers and guessed that they were looking through the paperwork I gave Iruka this morning. After a few minutes of silence, a chair pulled back and someone stood up. They headed for the door and I pulled back from it.

"I should probably go check on everyone," Iruka said. "See ya." The door knob started to turn so I quickly made the transportation handseals. When the door opened I disappeared without a trace.

I appeared outside the Academy and sighed. I leaned against the outside wall near a window. ~They can really tell that I respect Itachi and that I fear him.~ I looked up at the sky. "Wonder where he is anyway."

A muffled voice sounded behind me along with some rough movements. I turned and looked through the open window. Grinning playfully I jumped into the room and landed with a purposful "thump."

Sasuke was tied up on the ground, hands behind his back and mouth taped over. When he heard the noise he looked over and saw me. He greeted me in the only way he probably knew how. Glaring daggers.

"Hmph," I breathed as I crossed my arms over my chest. "I didn't think Naruto would actually listen to me." Sasuke narrowed his eyes even more as I walked over.

I crouched down and reached for the tape on his mouth. He moved his face away and I frowned. He kept the same expression. I shrugged slightly and sat down with my legs crossed.

"I didn't tell him to tie you up," I said honestly. He began to struggle against the ropes again. "I just told him that the best time to catch you off guard is when you're eating." I reached for the tape again. "I know you probably hate me but the least you could do is let me help."

He still didn't let me. I stood up and walked towards the window, Sasuke still struggling against the ropes behind me. I searched for Naruto but wasn't surprised when I saw someone familiar. It looked like Sasuke and Sakura were sitting on a bench in the distance, talking about something.

I grinned and looked back to Sasuke. He seemed to have made a little progress but not enough to free himself. "Alright," I began as I walked back over to him. I crossed my arms and he tried to ignore me. "I'm aware that you can get out of this by yourself but in the meantime, Naruto, in _your_ body, will be talking to that Sakura girl." I smirked slightly. "And possibly something else."

That seemed to catch his attention because he froze and looked up at me seriously. I bent down again and held his chin slightly between my fingers.

"So either you let me help you or." I touched the tape over his lips with my forefinger. "You can kiss your reputation good-bye. So what will it be?" I smirked inwardly. I knew that I had amazing persuasive skills.

When he didn't answer I touched the tip of the tape and pulled it off slowly, waiting for a reaction. When he didn't pull back I ripped it off quickly and he cringed slightly.

"Untie me already," he demanded as he moved again. I sighed in annoyance and moved to his side. I took hold of the ropes and untied them swiftly. As soon as they fell he took off out the window, heading straight for Naruto and Sakura.

"You're welcome!" I yelled half-heartidly. I rubbed the back of my head. ~Sure hope Naruto's up for the wrath of an angry Uchiha.~ I shuddered slightly. I had only made Itachi _really _angry at me once and that single moment almost cost me my life.

I shook away the nightmare, not wanting to remember how terrified I was. Sighing mentally I walked off towards the classroom. Iruka would be there by now but I assumed that Naruto could quite possibly be in the infirmiry, if not the hospital. I closed my eyes and continued walking slowly down the hall.

Sakura's Pov

I sat on the bench saddly, head down. ~I can't believe I said those things to Sasuke! I didn't think about him not having any parents! Stupid!~ I sighed. _"You're sick."_ That's what he said to me. Is this how Naruto feels? Maybe I should be a little nicer.

I stood up and tried to look happy again. I want to prove to Sasuke that I'm worthy to be his girlfriend! I walked towards the Academy, ready to meet whoever our new sensei is.

I took the open seat next to Sasuke since now he _is _my teammate so I have a _real _excuse for doing so. I stared at him lovingly and he ignored my gesture, like normal. I sighed and put my head in my hands.

Someone sat down beside me but I paid no attention until I heard their voice. "I was almost worried about you Naruto," Hikari said as she punched him playfully. I looked out of the corner of my eye in annoyance. "For a second, I thought Sasuke may have actually killed you." This caught my attention. I turned to them quickly, prepared to defend my love.

"He must have had a good reason to!" I exclaimed. Hikari looked around Naruto to me. Her soft brown eyes met mine and she looked like an angel. ~Why is she so beautiful?! It's not fair!~ I turned from her and looked back at my Sasuke. "Sasuke!" I exclaimed to him while I still had Hikari and Naruto's attention. "Who's more beautiful, me or Hikari?"

I thought I heard Hikari gasp quietly but ignored it. Sasuke was going to tell everyone that I was gorgeous! He looked at me in annoyance before letting out a low "hn." "Seeing that you're both annoying, I couldn't care less." My heart dropped and Naruto started laughing hysterically and Hikari tried to stifle a laugh and turned away.

I turned to them angrily. I punched Naruto hard and was about to hit Hikari when she ducked perfectly and kept laughing. ~How the heck did she dodge that?~ I was fuming now. I didn't see Sasuke smirking in satisfication behind me.

After they settled down, Iruka walked in as well as the Jounin teachers. He sent the teams off but ours remained without a sensei. "Guess he's late," Iruka said as he scratched the back of his head. He began to walk out of the classroom. "Don't worry, he'll arrive soon." He eyed Hikari for some reason and she smiled in return. I clenched my fist. ~I hate that girl!~

An hour passed and he still wasn't here. We had all moved to different positions in the classroom. I leaned against the bottom desk, Sasuke sat in the bottom right aisle, Naruto was looking out the doorway, and Hikari was sitting on top of the desk by Sasuke.

I walked over and jumped on the desk in between them, nearly landing on Sasuke if he hadn't moved. "Hey Hikari," I said, faking happiness. She smiled back slightly and moved away from me a few inches.

"Sorry," she apologized. "You were a little too close for comfort." I nodded and scooted away from her and closer to Sasuke.

"Better?"

"Yeah," she replied. I turned to look at Naruto but I could have sworn that I saw her smirk at Sasuke. From the corner of my eye I saw Sasuke eyeing her evilly, eyes full of annoyance.

"Naruto, stay still," I demanded.

"Why is the sensei of our team 7 late?" He said as he looked through the hallway franticly. "Everyone else is gone already! Even Iruka-sensei!"

"He should be here soon," Hikari said as she jumped to the middle desk. She layed down on her back, arms under her head. "Just relax."

I looked back at Naruto and saw him grin as an idea popped into his head. He picked up an eraser and stood on a chair. "Hey!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing Naruto!"

He placed the eraser in the sliding door frame at the top. Whoever walked in would be hit in the head by it. He laughed in mock evil as he jumped down. "That's what ya get for being late."

"I'm not involved," I said. ~I love these kinds of things!~ Sasuke looked annoyed by this and Hikari looked likewise.

"A Jounin probably won't fall for that," Hikari said as she closed her eyes. Sasuke nodded once in agreement. "You're just going to get into trou-." She cut herself off and sat up quickly opening her eyes wide.

Footsteps echoed closely and I looked to the door quickly, wondering why Hikari stiffened. The sliding door was swung open quickly by a _hot _guy that may have only been 5 years older. He had spikey black hair and sharp misty-blue eyes.

The eraser didn't have a chance to man grabbed it swiftly and chucked it towards the chalk board while still walking forward. It hit the board with a soft "thud" before falling perfectly into place.

He looked at us in a searching manner. "Hey!" I exclaimed clasping my hands together. "You must be our new sensei! My name's Sakura Haruno but you can call me Sakura!"

He didn't even seem to notice my attempt at flirting he just kept looking around. His eyes stopped on Hikari and he approached her quickly. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her from the desk quickly. She almost toppled forward but the man caught her.

"What is it?" She asked in an almost scared tone. I froze, becoming afraid of the man who just grabbed my classmate.

Hikari's Pov

I sat up quickly as I felt Itachi's presence. ~Where is he?~ I heard footsteps coming closer. I looked at everyone for a minute. They all seemed to have stopped moving and stared at the door.

Sure enough, he was the one who slid the door open. Before the eraser even fell he grabbed it smoothly and threw it to its proper place on the chalkboard. Naruto backed away, probably afraid to be found out.

Sakura tried to flirt with him and I chuckled inside. He looked around the room and stopped when he found me. He approached quickly, grabbed my wrist, and basically pulled me down from the desk. I almost fell, unprepared for his quick gesture.

He caught me with his right arm and held me slightly "What is it?" I asked, almost sounding scared. I caught Sasuke's eye and it looked like he was glaring at Itachi. ~He doesn't know that its his brother, right?~

Itachi leaned down to whisper something in my ear. "I have an order for you." His raven hair brushed against my cheek as he spoke and his velvet voice sent shivers down my spine. Immediantly after he pulled back and began to pull me to the door, not caring about the fact that my teammates were watching. To them it might have looked like I was being taken hostage, or something like that.

After coming out of a daze, Naruto jumped in front of Itachi and spoke up. "Hey! Who are you and where are you taking Hikari!" He sounded angry and protective, how…sweet? Itachi completely ignored him and pushed him aside easily. Naruto tombled towards the desk by Sasuke and Sakura and caught the edge of it before looking to Itachi angrily.

Sasuke glared at Itachi evilly, Sakura looked nervous, Naruto looked angry and he grabbed my other hand, stopping me and Itachi. Itachi looked down at me seriously, ordering me to get rid of the nuisances.

"Don't worry guys," I said seriously, with a tone of laughter. "This is Icatai. He's my guardian." Sakura and Naruto looked at me like I was crazy then to Itachi. Sasuke never took his eyes off of him.

"So you're okay with him?" Naruto asked with only a slight tinge of worry. I nodded and removed my hand from his. I looked to Itachi.

"Give me one minute and I'll meet you in the hall, please?" He dropped my hand and walked away.

"Make it 30 seconds," he said seriously. He slid the door back, hard. Sakura and Naruto cringed.

"What a jerk!" Naruto exclaimed. I quickly covered his mouth a shushed him. He looked at me in surprise.

"You idiot!" I exclaimed. "Do you want him to kill you?" Sasuke and Sakura looked at me in confusment. I moved my hand and he looked Naruto looked somewhat startled. "I apologize for him," I said quickly. "He's… just overprotective and he needs to tell me something important. Okay, I'll tell you guys everything later, I promise."

I looked to all of them again. Naruto's expression rose only slightly and Sakura still looked terrified. When I looked at Sasuke he wasn't looking at me. Instead, he whispered something that was almost unaudible. "Some guardian." It was too low to detect any emotion.

No one else seemed to hear him so I didn't bring it up. I smiled at them reassuringly. "He's a great guy, once you get to know him. Icatai will warm up." I turned around and slid the door open. ~In maybe another hundred years…~

Exiting the room, I found Itachi down the hallway leaning against the wall in a relaxed manner. He pushed off and grabbed my wrist, gently this time before transporting outside. We appeared on the roof of the Academy.

He made sure we were completely alone before letting me go and resting against the side. "I was taking care of… certain matters yesterday," he began seriously. I kept a straight face but couldn't help but wonder what he was hiding. "That's when that dastardly plant located me.."

I looked at him questionably before realizing what he meant. "Zetsu?" I half-stated, half-asked. He nodded before leaning on the railing behind me.

His piercing blue eyes morphed into the crimson of the Sharingan before he spoke. "He delivered a message from Pein," he explained in a slightly manner. He crossed his arms over his chest. "You are **not **to use your Sharingan unless the affair turns into a life-death situation."

I blinked once in surprise. ~Can't use my Sharingan? Should have seen that coming.~ I laughed slightly. "I should have seen that coming," I said with a smile. Itachi still looked serious.

"You understand why?" His eyes were contemplating my actions. I nodded before speaking.

"There are supposivly." I put invisible qutoes around supposivily with my fingers. "Only three Sharingan users. You, Kakashi, and-." I cut myself off when I recalled something. I glared at Itachi, unintentionally activating my Sharingan. "-Your brother Sasuke!"

I remembered why I had been so angry with him before. Why I wanted to yell at the infamous Uchiha. Why, for a split second, I wanted to kill him for lying to me. Attempting both of these would most likely be a death wish for me but I didn't care at the moment.

"Why did you deliberatly lie to the Akatsuki!" I exclaimed furiously, but making sure that only he heard my shout. "Deliberatly lie to me! Why didn't you tell me Sasuke was alive?! Did you ever think about how that affected me personally!" Through my raving Itachi stood calm and unfazed until I slipped up on my last statement. "I believed that my best friend was dead!"

Before my Sharingan could even focus, I was slammed to the side and I hit a wall, hard. It cracked in several places and would have shattered if I had not been slightly prepared for the attack. I used my hand to slide up the wall. Pain was evident in my side and I gripped it with my other hand tightly.

Itachi disappeared and reappeared in front of me and grabbed me around my upper arms with his firm grip. He lifted me up only to his eye level and pushed me against the wall. His Sharingan spun fiercly and morphed into his Mangekyo Sharingan. I looked into his eyes fearfully.

"You've… had a relationship with my brother," he stated. His voice was deathly low and menacing. He pressed me harder against the wall, but not enough to hurt. I gripped his wrists to steady myself. "You realize that your emotions could ruin our objective? The fact that you have kept this from _me _personally is enough to make us even. Though…" He leaned in to my ear and whispered. "I have known about your little secret for years now."

I was too shocked to speak. ~What…? How did he know? I've never told him and Sasuke promised not to-.~

"Did you assume that I left your poor asumption of just being exaughsted unchecked?" he asked smoothly, his voice no longer a whisper. His hair brushed against my face and his voice made me cringe. "I eavesdropped on my brother no less and eventually, he slipped up. Telling our mother of his greatest friend-." I felt his smile as he whispered the next word seductivly. "-Hikari."

I felt goosebumps for a second before brushing them away. ~Itachi is only a friend now, nothing more.~ He felt the goosebumps on my arms and smirked without me noticing. He leaned away and put on a serious face, but I could have sworn that amusement was hidden in their depths. His eyes were now cool and the anger lessened as his eyes changed back to their normal Sharingan.

"Make sure you don't get too close again, you'll just end up in tears when his time truly comes."

I looked at him, gaping for a second. "You'll leave him be Itachi Uchiha," I demanded in a raspy yet confident voice. He smirked only very slightly.

"Your fortune is high, for now," he said lowly. "I won't touch him until you realize how he's changed. You'll soon be begging me to rid the world of him." I narrowed my eyes into a glare as the three tomes in my Sharingan spun slightly in anger.

I gripped his wrists tightly to brace myself before kicking him in the gut, hard. He flinched slightly, loosening his grip on me in the process. He looked back into my eyes with a large hint of amusement. I glared even deeper. He didn't look hurt at all and I had delivered a _hard _kick. How was he still standing?

"Hn. Stuborn as ever," he said, somewhat serious. "Though… that particular outbreak doesn't happen often." He tightened his grip back on my arms. "Now, start explaining." His voice was very serious now and his cold fingers drummed my skin as he waited.

I turned away from him and frowned. "Find out yourself," I half-dared, half-begged. ~He won't use his Mangekyo for something so trivial. I have nothing to fear. But… I don't want to talk to him about this. This would be the easiest thing to do, for the both of us.~

He smirked and closed his eyes. "As you wish." I turned towards him in utter shock. He opened his eyes up quickly and whispered loudly. "Tsu-."

Someone in the background cleared their throat loudly. Itachi and I quickly deactivated our Sharingan before anyone could see them and looked to the side. Kakashi, as well as the rest of team 7, stood a few yards away. Kakashi looked at us in a laid-back manner while Naruto and Sakura looked terrified. Sasuke seemed to be looking straight at Itachi, slight anger enveloping his eyes.

"Sorry to interupt," Kakashi said as he scratched the back of his head. "But I'm having a short meeting with my team and Hikari is needed." He seemed to smile and Itachi let me go. Red hand prints were visible but they disappeared in a few seconds.

Itachi looked down at me. "We'll talk tonight," he more demanded than stated. He made a hand-sign and disappeared. I hid all hurt emotions from my face and put on a smile as I looked over at my team. I stood there for a moment before walking over.

"Hey guys," I said, putting happiness into my voice. "What's up?" I put a hand on my hip and leaned forward, trying to look full of anticipation. ~Way to leave me in this position Itachi…~

Kakashi's Pov

I shuffled into the classroom, late as usual. Three kids stared up at me, each slightly angry. I recognized the blonde as Naruto and the raven-haired boy as the Uchiha. The girl in the room had bright pink hair and gave off a hyper aura.

I scanned the room again, searching for my last student. "Umm…" I began in my normal tone. "Isn't there another one of you?" That seemed to catch their attention because as soon as I spoke they stiffened.

The girl was the first to speak. "The other girl in our group was taken away," she answered in an almost scared tone.

"Yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, slightly angry. "That guardian of hers just came and dragged her out of here!" I refrained from looking at them wide-eyed.

"Why?" I asked.

"He had something _important _to tell her." He crossed his arms and looked up to Kakashi. "He was such a jerk! I don't even know his name!"

Sasuke did not speak, only listened to the conversation. ~Strange…but I don't know the man so I can't make too many assumptions.~ "Did they mention where they were going?" Naruto and the girl shook their heads. I turned and walked to the door. ~He is her guardian… guess I shouldn't worry.~ "Lets go then."

Sasuke stood and Naruto almost freaked out. "W-What?!" he exclaimed. "You're just going to leave her with that guy!" Sakura seemed to be thinking the same thing and the Uchiha boy just kept walking towards me.

"He _is_ her guardian," I stated as I walked out the door. "I suppose he had every right, to a certain extint. We'll carry on without her I suppose."

"But, but…" He mutterd.

"She'll be fine Naruto!" the pink-headed girl exclaimed as she pulled him along.

"You're just saying that because you want her gone because she kissed Sasuke!" Sakura punched him in the head.

"You idiot! Just come on!"

~Great… my team is already arguing….~ I sighed mentally and looked back at the three of them from the corner of my eye. The girl and Naruto were still arguing and the Uchiha boy was shuffling along behind me, hands in his pockets, trying to ignore the other two.

We ascended the stairs to the roof but I stopped half-way up. I looked up the stair way. ~That enormous chakra…… Icatai Hayate and someone else……. Hikari probably.~ "What is it sensei?" the girl asked as she huddled behind the Uchiha.

"Not really sure," I lied. "Let's go check it out." We continued up and then walked onto the roof. Sure enough, Icatai and Hikari were there, though not in the position I expected.

Icatai had Hikari pinned against a wall a ways away and she looked mildly frightened and angry. I could only see the back of Icatai's head so I could not perceive his emotion. Hikari turned away from him for a moment and said something out of my ear shot. He must have replied because she turned around and wore a look of shock.

I decided that I'd seen enough and my students were about to lose it. I cleared my throat to get there attention. Hikari immediantly looked over Icatai's shoulder and Icatai's gaze soon followed.

I scratched the back of my head in a disarming way. "Sorry to interupt," I said polietly. "But I'm having a short meeting with my team and Hikari is needed." I smiled in a semi-poliet way. Icatai let her go and her arms were slightly red, but it escaped everyone elses view.

Icatai whispered something to her before transporting away. It surprised me when Hikari looked neither hurt nor sad, just happy. She put on a smile and started to walk over after a moment's hesitation.

"Hey guys," she said happily. "What's up?" She stood with her hand on her left hip and leaned forward in a feminine way, giving her the apperance of being mildly intrigued and excited.


	9. Chapter 9: Altogether Team 7

Altogether Team 7 

Naruto's Pov

"Why the heck did he have you pinned to a wall!" I exclaimed angrily. "Did he hurt you?! If he did, I swear, I'll rip him to-."

"We have a meeting, right sensei?" Hikari asked, cutting me off and changing the subject. "Let's go then." She ran over to the edge of the platform and sat on a step casually. Sensei, Sakura, Sasuke, and I just stared at her for a moment. "Well, don't just stand there, come on."

I was getting angrier because she wasn't telling me anything. ~I thought we were friends!~ I saw sensei shrug and walk towards her. ~Maybe she'll tell me when she's ready. I guess she has her share of secrets.~ I ran over quickly, less angry and more sad. I jumped down to sit on the step below her and to her left. I looked up to her with a worried expression. To my surprise, she smiled at me warmly and it made me brighten slightly.

Sakura came a little later and sat on the the same step as me but a yard and a half to Hikari's right. She still looked tense after seeing that and I really couldn't blame her.

Sasuke shuffled over, hands in his pockets like normal and sat with his kness propped up on the stair I was on while he sat right next to Hikari on her right. He put his elbows on his knees and his head was in his hands. He was only about an inch or two next to her and I clenched my fists.

~Stupid Sasuke! Can't you leave my new friend alone?~ He looked at Hikari suspiciously for some reason but she seemed to ignore him. I turned back forward and frowned. Sensei came over at last and stood in front of all of us and leaned against the railing at the edge of the roof. ~Mabye he'll bring up that guy!~ I smiled cheezily and mock evily. ~Maybe we can devise a search and destroy mission! Hehehehe!~

"Okay then," he began casually. I gaped at him in shock. ~What the heck?! He's acting like nothing happened!~ "Let's just start with introductions."

"Just our names?" Sakura asked. Her voice was still shaky but it wasn't too bad.

"Well, yes that and also some different interests like, things you like, things you hate, dreams for the future, hobbies, stuff like that." I started to loosen up. I hated being all tense and stuff, it was a waste of energy.

"Why don't you go first sensei and show us how it's done," I said in a happier voice.

"Yeah," Sakura chimed in. "You look suspicious." Hikari nodded. Sensei looked really surprised when we said this. ~Was he really that shocked?~

"_Me_? I'm Kakashi Hatake," he replied, not looking or sounding shocked anymore. "My likes and dislikes, I don't really feel like telling you. My dream for the future, never really thought about it. I have lots of hobbies."

"So all we learned was his name," Sakura whispered to us. ~That's not cool! I don't know a thing about this guy!~ I eyed Hikari. She seemed deep in thought. ~Maybe she knows something we don't.~

"Alright, you in the bright orange," Kakashi said as he nooded to me. I loosened completely and messed with my head-band.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" I exclaimed happily. I smiled widely. "I like ramen a lot but I hate the 3 minutes you have to wait for it." I didn't notice that Kakashi-sensei had a weird look when all I talked about was ramen. ~I also hate that jerk Sasuke!~ "And my dream is to become Hokage!" I exclaimed happily. "That way everyone will acknowledge my existence!" I didn't see Kakashi's smile but Hikari did and she smiled as well. "And hobbies……pulling pranks I guess."

Kakashi-sensei scratched the back of his head. "Next," he said. He looked at Hikari, making the rest of us turn to her also. I was really interested to hear what she had to say as was everyone else because they turned to her also. She seemed slightly uncomfortable but she didn't act like it.

Hikari's Pov

"Alright, my name is Hikari Phoenix," I began in a happy tone. "Umm… I like to train with Icatai and I like traveling. My dislikes are liars and traitors, or at least they would be. I don't know many personally."

I thought about Itachi for a moment. ~He's not really those things. He was just keeping a secret. I mean, I was too so technicly we're one in the same.~ They noticed my pause and I smiled shyly then spoke again.

"My dream for the future…… is kind of personal." ~They don't need to know that right now.~ "Hobbies would probably be training and learning from all my teachers."

I shifted to sit with my legs crossed and leaned back and balanced mostly on my right hand. Sasuke scoffed quietly and Naruto smiled as I finished. Sakura didn't seem to care and Kakashi just nodded then looked to Sasuke, as did I.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha," he began in a monotone voice. "There are tons of things I dislike but I don't really like anything." I eyed him curiously. ~That's… different.~ "And… I don't want to use the word "dream" but… I have an ambition. The resurrection of my clan and… to kill a certain man." My eyes widened slighlty as did Sakura and Naruto's. ~K-kill? Sasuke…why-.~

Sakura looked like she thought that _ambition _was cool and Naruto looked kind of scared. I could tell that Kakashi knew that he'd say that. "Ok…lastly you." He looked to Sakura.

"I'm Sakura Haruno," she said as she brought her knees to her chest. She smiled and a slight blush rose in her cheeks. "The thing I like is… well the person I like is…" She kept looking at Sasuke as she spoke. He eyed her in an annoyed manner and I couldn't help but let out a slight laugh. Only Sasuke heard. "Umm… should I say my dream for the future?" I let out another laugh and I felt Sasuke tense. "Oh! And what I hate is Naruto!" Naruto's mouth opened in shock and his eyes fell. ~Poor Naruto.~ "And hobbies…" She looked at Sasuke lovingly and he didn't respond.

Kakashi sighed silently as did I. ~We have an interesting team… a lazy sensei, a knuckle-head, a boy-obsessed female, an avenger, and me… an Akatsuki member playing Genin.~

"Ok!" Kakashi exclaimed, yet his voice betrayed his boredom. "That's enough of that. We will start our duties tomorrow." I nodded and Naruto cheered.

"Yay!" He exclaimed in excitement. "What kinds of duties?!" Kakashi moved to sit on the railing.

"First, we are going to do something with just the 5 of us." Naruto was about to interupt but I poked him in the side to tell him to listen. "Survival training." I nodded. ~Alright. No problem.~ I eyed everyone. ~But they may have different opinions.~

"Survival training?" Naruto asked.

"Why is our duty training?" Sakura asked with slight annoyance. "We did enough of that at the Ninja Academy." Sasuke and I kept quiet but I could tell from past experiences that he was unhappy.

"I'm your opponent, but this isn't normal training." We looked to him questionably.

"Then what is it?" Naruto asked in irritation. I was wondering the same thing. Kakashi began to laugh strangely.

"Hey, what's so funny sensei?" Sakura chimed in with a nasty look on her face. I raised an eyebrow and he laughed again.

"Well…" he began. "It's just that when I tell you this, you guys are definitly going to flip."

~Flip? Why?~ "Try us," I said confidently, speaking for the first time. I smiled in determination and Kakashi only smiled in a mock evil manner.

"Of the 28 graduates, only 10 will be choosen as Genin. The rest will be sent back to the Academy. This training is a very difficult exam with a failure rate of over 66%!" I held in the urge to gape in shock but unfortunantly Naruto and Sakura couldn't resist. They looked both terrified and astonished. Sasuke looked the same.

"66% failure rateing?" I asked, mocking worry. "So if I fail, I'll have to…" I thought for a moment, cutting myself off purposly for effect.

"You'll have to attend the Ninja Academy for a year before trying again," he finished. "And I'm guessing that Icatai would be unhappy as well." I nodded. ~He'd probably be furious but then again, there's no reason I can't pass a Genin exam.~ "See, I told you you'd flip," he chuckled.

"What the heck?!" Naruto exclaimed angrily. "We worked so hard… what was the point of graduating?!"

Kakashi looked at him and scratched the back of his head. "Oh… That? That's just to select those that have the chance to become Genin."

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed. ~I don't really blame him…he worked worked hard for this.~

"Anyway," Kakashi began, cutting him off. "Tomorrow, you will be graded on the training field. Bring all your Shinobi tools." He stopped as he stepped down from the railing. "Oh, and don't eat breakfast. You'll throw up." ~Like that'll happen. There's only so much normal Genin's can take, let alone me.~ Now, Naruto looked terrified and Sakura wasn't much better.

"Throw up!" Sakura exclaimed. "Is it that tough!"

Kakashi handed out a paper to each of us. "The details can be read on this print out," he said. "Don't be late tomorrow." I skimmed through the paper as Naruto looked it over franticly. Sakura looked like she had a mission and Sasuke just crumpled it up.

With that, Kakashi disappeared with one last wave. I folded the paper and put in my weapons pouch on my thigh. Naruto stood up quickly with a worried face.

"I need to go train!" He exclaimed franticly. "I am NOT going back to the Academy!" I tugged on his sleeve slightly and he looked down to me.

"Remain calm," I said. "You'll do fine." I gave him a reassuring smile but he only seemed to panic more. "Let's go do something." I stood and he freaked.

"I can't!" He said loudly. "I have to train!" He ran off and I rubbed my temple as I shook my head. ~That kid…~ I sighed and turned to look to Sakura and Sasuke who were now standing. Sakura gripped Sasuke's arm and he looked irritated.

"Hey Sauke!" she exclaimed happily. "Want to go on a date with me?"

"No." His voice was emotionless as he got out of her grip. She pouted sadly and Sasuke began to walk towards the stairs. I turned to look to at Sakura fully and she put on a determined face.

"I'll show Sasuke how tough I am," she said proudly. "We'll be together!"

I smiled. "You want to do something Sakura?" I really didn't want to be with her but… I really didn't want to go home either.

"Didn't you just hear me?!" she exclaimed. "I need to prove myself to Sasuke!" She ran off and I sighed mentally.

I walked to the railing and crossed my arms over it and leaned forward comfortably. The gentle breeze passed through my hair and made it sway. ~Now what am I going to do?~ My eyes brightened as I noticed Sasuke walking through the crowded street. ~Maybe we can do something.~

I stepped onto the railing and ran down its length. When I reached the edge, I jumped to the next building and continued until I caught up to him. By then, the street we were now on was less crowded and I jumped down to a lower level of the roof before swinging upside down. I wrapped my legs around a horizontal pole as I fell, flipping myself back to hang upside down, right before Sasuke reached it.

I ended up nose to nose with the Uchiha and he jumped slightly in surprise, jumping back a foot in the process. I smiled as my blonde hair hung down, revealing my full face. I crossed my arms to help keep my shirt from going down too much.

"Got ya," I said as I swayed back and forth. He took a hand out of his pocket and made an annoyed gesture.

"What do you want loser?" He asked as I flipped down. I landed perfectly, my back to him now. I turned around and took his hand swiftly before pulling him towards my house. He tried to get out of my grip but I made sure he couldn't get free.

"I want you to meet Icatai," I answered. ~I'll prove to Itachi that he hasn't changed that much.~

"Icatai?" he asked, giving up on trying to pull his hand free.

"My guardian." Sasuke stopped in his tracks, forcing me to also. He looked at me, an eyebrow raise. "What?"

"I've already met him," he said emotionlessly, referring to earlier. "It's a waste of time." I let him go and he began to walk off. ~Maybe some other time then…~ I sighed mentally before catching up to him.

"Let's do something," I said, walking beside him. He gave me a slight glare.

"Can't you leave me alone? I need to prepare for tomorrow." I sighed quietly.

"There's something different about this test," I explained solemnly. He seemed to ignore me as he looked forward in an annoyed manner. "A hidden meaning," I breathed quietly. He barely heard me but I could tell that he was interested by the way his eyes rose so slightly. "The fight can't be the main point. If it were than we would be facing a Jounin. Taking him on would be too much of a challenge for Genins." I rubbed my temple and frowned.

"I can take him," he stated monotonly. I smirked and gave him a disbelieving look.

"You think you can defeat Kakashi?" He nodded seriously. "I'd say good luck but there's no way you can take him a-." I cut myself purposly, a thought reaching my mind. ~alone… That's what he wants!~ I smiled widely and Sasuke looked at me strangely. "I've figured it out." ~That's why the Hokage, Iruka, and Kakashi were saying that this is what you came for. _Teamwork._ That's what this is about!~

"Figured it out?" Sasuke asked, slightly puzzeled. "You've noticed a hidden meaning? What is it?" I looked at him with a slightly smug look.

"You'll have to figure it out." He glarred daggers at me and I only smiled innocently. "How about we make a bet? If you don't figure out the hidden menaing by time we finish our Survival Training, you have to come to my house so I can intoduce you to Icatai. You also have to go on a date with Sakura."

"And _when_ I solve it," he began confidently. "You refrain from any pranks and rude remarks referring to me for a week and-." He turned to me with a devilish grin. "-you have to be my servant for the same period of time." I cheered in triumph mentally. This was going to be fun.

"Deal," I said, taking his hand. We shook on it as we stopped for a second. He wore a smug look and I just smiled. His jet eyes looked into the depths of mine, searching for a clue. I pushed him away playfully. "I'll even give you a hint if you do something with me." I turned around to walk off when his voice stopped me.

"I don't need a hint," he said coldly. "Its probably obvious since you somehow figured it out." I turned back to him and he started to walk away. ~That wasn't very nice… Who does he think I am?~ I frowned. ~Right… a Genin he hates that somehow got put on the same team as him.~ I smiled deviously

I ran up behind him silently and untied his head band in one swift movement. He didn't notice at first but as soon as it began to fall, he made an attempt to catch it but had no luck. I grabbed it and ran off, leaving an infuriated Uchiha behind me. NEVER a good thing.

After I made good distance, I turned to look over my shoulder. Big mistake. Sasuke was closing in, fast. I decided to have fun, so I started to run half speed, leaving Sasuke way behind me. After almost a half hour of running, I ducked into an alley and hid between a pile of boxes. I completed a hand-sign to hide my chakra and sat down.

Looking out through a crack, I saw Sasuke pass by only a minute after. ~I wiped my forehead and tucked a hair behing my ear. ~I'm surprised that he pretty much kept up with me. He's _a lot _faster than most Genins and he has a high stamina. Impressive.~

I clutched his headband in my hand loosely. Tracing the etching with my finger brought back old memories and I sighed. ~Wonder how long it will take for him to find me?~ I yawned and my eyes drooped slightly. ~Man, am I that tired? I haven't got much sleep lately because of all the dreams. A nap would be nice... He won't find me for a while anyway.~ I made myself comfortable among the boxes and closed my eyes. I layed down and clutched the headband to my heart as I drifted off to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10: Messing with a Friend

Messing with a Friend

Sasuke's Pov

~Darn it! Where'd she go? I've been wasting hours! What is wrong with that freaking female! I hardly even know her and she's treating me like she's known me for years! That, or she is another loser fangirl and enjoys tormenting me.~ I stuffed my hands into my pockets and glarred ahead angrily at nothing in particular.

It was starting to get dark and there was still no sign of Hikari anywhere. I decided to go home, I'd see her tomorrow morning so it wasn't like my headband was gone for life. I took a shortcut through an alley but stopped when I heard breathing.

I pulled out a kunai knife and jumped in, ready to attack. When I saw where the noise came from I glarred at the being harshly. Hikari was asleep in a pile of boxes in the alley and I almost gaped. I put the kunai back in my pocket as I looked at her.

Her straight blonde hair fell onto her innocent looking face in an extremly feminine manner. She was curled into a loose ball with her legs crossed and a single hand was held at her chest. That's when a glint of metal caught my attention.

Right near her heart in her right hand was my head band. I smirked as I reached to grab it. I brushed her hand away and pulled it from her grip, causing her arm to fall forward. I tied it around my head and secured it there tightly before turning to walk away.

"Sleeping in an alley all night serves you right, you loser." I was about to just leave her there when something stopped me. Just a feeling in my gut told me not to go. I forced myself to walk away but stopped at the entrance of the alley. I looked up at the darkening sky and groaned quietly. I turned back around and walked up to Hikari.

I picked up the slightly taller girl but she surprisingly wasn't that heavy. I held under her knees and her upper back near her neck in bridal-style form. Turning to walk away, I gazed down at her sleeping form. Her messy blonde hair fell in layers around her face and framed it's soft features. ~She looks completely helpless in this form. That's probably the reason why I feel this way. I can't leave a helpless female alone in an alley all night.~

My feet padded down the almost completely empty street as I searched for that familiar presence. ~Where the heck does she live?! Or better yet, where's her _guardian?_ Isn't _he _ supposed to be watching out for her? As if he heard the question, the man suddnely appeared a few yards away from me and looked at me with cold eyes. I returned the stare and walked up to him, clutching Hikari to my chest.

He waited for me, never making a move. When I was only a yard away, I stopped. His gaze had deepened into a slight glare but I refused to be intimidated. "Here," I said emotionlessly while holding Hikari out to him. He took her in his arms loosely and I turned to walk away.

"Why is she nearly unconscious?" The man's voice was deep and powerful. Just listening to it almost made me cringe. I smirked. ~I'm getting worked up over some man who's probably not worth my time.~ I looked over my shoulder but kept walking.

"She'll tell you when she wakes up," I said monotonly. I turned back forward and continued towards my home. The man didn't press and I felt him turn back also. A frown made its way across my face. ~Hmm…what is the secret meaning behind the training tomorrow? I better figure it out soon or I'll actually be formally introduced to that guy and…~ I grimaced. ~I'll have to go out with that stupid annoying fan-girl.~ I groaned mentally and stuffed my hands in my pockets. ~I still have around 10 hours to solve it. I should be fine.~

Hikari's Pov

"Wake up Hikari." I heard my name and I opened my eyes quickly, remembering Sasuke. I realized that the head band was gone. I also noticed that it was dark and that I was warm. I looked up slighlty to find an annoyed Uchiha carrying me.

"Itachi?" I whispered in confusement. He said nothing and kept walking. I looked around and noticed our house in the distance. "Where's-."

"He found you," Itachi responded in apathy, cutting me off. "You were nearly unconcious when you slept and he brought you to me. Care to explain?" I frowned slightly in a childish manner.

"He didn't tell you?" Itachi didn't respond. I sighed and crossed my arms. "I was…being mean I suppose. I stole his head band." Itachi didn't say anything as he opened the door with his foot and walked in. I began to reiterate the days events with Kakashi and my bet with Sasuke, leaving out the conditions. By the time I was finished, I was tossed onto my bed gently.

Itachi sat on the edge of it and stared at me. I remembered what he wanted and I brought my knees up to my chest and looked down.

"Hikari." My name rolled off his tongue in a seductive yet completely powerful tone. I looked into his eyes and took in a breath. I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off. "I no longer require you to tell me about Sasuke and your former relationship."

I almost gaped but managed to hold back. He noticed my shock though and continued.

"It is of no concern at the moment. But…" He shifted slightly and pulled his Akatsuki ring from his pocket. "If Pein were to find out, it is your full responsibility. I will not be involved under any circumstances." He twisted the ring between his thumb and index finger, showing its beauty and marvelous design.

"Why?" My voice was leaking thankfullness to which Itachi smirked and stood. He began to walk towards the door.

"Why?" He repeated. "Do I need a reason? Or would you rather I pri into your memories painfully?" I didn't speak. The answer was obvious.

He took the door handle and began to turn it when I spoke. "Thanks, Itachi." I smiled as I looked at the back of his head and he stopped, listening to me. "You know…" I began. "We need to at least fake a good relationship with each other if they're going to believe that you've always been with me and somehow raised me. I mean…" I twiddled my fingers nervously and looked down. "You need to act more like a guardian and less like a warden." I looked back up to see his reaction.

He smiled genuinly. Itachi Uchiha smiled truly for the first time in years, though I could not see it and knew nothing of it. "Only if you refrain from attempting something I forbid," he replied with apathy.

"You got it!" I responded quickly and happily. I smiled widely and threw off my shoes as he opened the door. I couldn't have been happier right now. ~He actually agreed to that?! Who the heck is that and what have they done with Itachi?~

"Remember." I stopped removing my weapon pouch and looked to him. "This is a mission you have been assigned. Failing this task could reveal the Akatsuki and in worse cases, cause its downfall. Don't forget, leader trusts you with this important task. Don't fail us." His voice was serious and stern, but I could tell that he was trying to tell me this without revealing how truly important this task was.

I nodded and with that he left, shutting the door behind him. I sighed, falling back onto my pillow. I stared at the ceiling aimlessly, gathering my thoughts.

~Tomorrow…is the start of a new beginning. A new era. Naruto…how am I supposed to…~ I sighed. ~I'll think of a way to extract the nine-tailed demon without killing you, this I swear. And Sasuke… at least Itachi is willing to keep you alive. I don't think I could handle losing you twice.~ I growled lowly in frustration as I kicked off my last sock and sunk into the bed. ~What the heck am I going to do?! The mission should be my top priority. I'll just go along with it and hopefully things will play out by themselves.~

I traced my bracelet, thinking about them, my only family. All that I have. A tear escaped out unnoticably. I turned to lie on my side and curled up. ~I miss them already. Especially Dei…~ I drifted off mid thought.

Itachi woke me up thte next morning by tossing a package to me. It landed on my head and I snapped up quickly, sharingan activated, and hands up in a defensive manner. He chuckled slightly. I frowned in annoyance and rubbed my tired eyes as they changed back.

"A package from that idiotic blonde. Seems he misses your company." ~Dei?~ I looked down at the wrapped box and began to unwrap it. Itachi leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed loosly. He was in his true form, sharingan and all. He wore a tight black undershirt which showed all his chest muscles and his thin white jacket fit around him unbottoned and hanging freely. His long, silky black hair fell freely down his back, out of the low band, and his bangs fell into his eyes sensuously.

It took a lot of power to avert my gaze from roaming his well built body. "You can go," I said confidently, trying to hide my slight blush. "I'm sure Dei didn't send a time bomb or anything." I laughed as Itachi rolled his eyes as I referred to a prank Dei and I had pulled on him, Kisame, and Zetsu.

Flashback

"It's finally finished, un," Deidara said with a smile. He wiped sweat from his face as I walked over. We both had clay splotches on our cloaks and some on our faces. A gigantic 60ft tall clay sculpture lies before us and it takes the shape of a falcon.

"Is everything ready, Dei?" I asked as I took my hair out of the low ponytail. I shook my head and my blonde locks fell around my face. He nodded and smiled evilly. I imitated the look. "I hope they like it."

Dei's arm wrapped around my waist in a friendly manner. His hand held my lower arm. "Of course they'll like it, un," he said as he pulled me towards the hideout. "And if they don't…" I felt his tongue on my arm from the mouth on his hand and it sent chills up my spine because I wasn't expecting it. "Well too bad for them, yeah!"

I smiled back, feeling the wetness on my arm. I was used to it by now and Dei had told me that it was a way of them saying that they liked me. "Let's go get'em then!" I exclaimed happily.

End Flashback

Long story short… Itachi, Zetsu, and Kisame came. Deidara and I transported away and the clay sculpture exploded. The three criminals were covered in the stuff. Zetsu and Kisame spent the rest of the day scrubbing it off their bodies and it took Itachi hours to get it out of his hair. Let's just say that Dei and I made sure to avoid them for awhile, laughing hysteriacally when we were alone.

I laughed again and opened the package quickly. A fairly large box was underneath and I tilted the lid up. Inside was about 10lbs of well preserved soft brown clay and 3 small color coded bottles. The bottles each carried a dozen or so different colored marble looking objects and were labled different things. ~Explosion…Protection…and Escape?~

A note was attached at the top. I put the bottles down cautiously then picked up the paper.

**Dear Hikari,**

**I've included my special molding clay in this package along with 3 different colored tablet bottles. I figured that you'd probably need some help, seeing that you **_**are **_**you. ------**

I paused for a second. ~As if you big~ I continued.

**(Don't think mean things. I was only joking.)----------------------------****-----**

This caused me to chuckle. Dei knew me too well.

**Anyhow, this is how to use it and what they mean.**

**Blue Tablets (Protection) – 2" ball of clay = 6ft tall and wide shield of clay**

**Red Tablets (Power) – 2" ball of clay = 20ft area explosion**

**Yellow Tablets (Escape) – 5" ball of clay = 10ft long flying clay bird (like the one I use)**

**Just mold the clay into a ball (multiply measurements above to suit your desires.) then stick a tablet inside and throw it at something. On contact, it will form into whatever tablet you put in it.**

**Umm… hope that's a good enough explantation… Sasori is the one who created the tablets. (He forced me to tell ya that. It's almost like he knows that you know I'm not smart enough to make these. I think he's just trying to boost his ego.) ------------------------------**

I laughed at this. Sasori and I were both masters at creating posions, potions, and other random chemicals. Though, I had to admit, I was impressed with his invention of these morphing tablets. I made a mental note to tell him exactly that later.

**Be careful out in the big 'ol world Hikari. It is supposivly dangerous. (For most people.) Anyway, just stay out of trouble (I know you're thinking otherwise.) and keep Uchiha straight. I'd hate to beat him up for ya! **

**See ya soon! Love,**

I grinned at the cartoon name as I and folded the note back up. ~I wish I could hear his accent/habit "un" at the end of his sentences. That was always cute.~ I unzipped the seal of the clay and reached in to grab and pull out a chunk of clay.

As soon as Itachi saw this he made a somewhat worried expression before making the teleportation handseal. "Relax," I giggled. "It won't explode unless I make it."

That really didn't seem to settle him because he was still contemplating the last time I said those words. KA-BOOM! was the sound that came next and he wasn't overly fond of me and Deidara after the incident.

"You have survival training. Get ready, but you don't have to leave for a while. Hatake…has a knack for being late to most events."

He shifted his weight to lean on his other leg and took something from his weapon case. ~An apple?~ He toosed it up and down in his hand before tossing it to me. I caught it easily and looked down at it. Red and delicious.

"Kakashi told us not to eat Itachi."

"I'm aware…I took the same test years ago. You'll need your strength, so eat." With that said he turned to walk out. "There are two more downstairs. Pack them for your squad. They would have listened as well. Also…"

His silky hair swished as he turned back to look at me. His look was almost contradictory.

"I'm somewhat surprised that you didn't catch the main point." He raised an eyebrow. "Shall I tell you?"

I frowned and crossed my arms playfully. "Teamwork is the main point, Mr Know-It-All. And…I wondered about the food thing but I know that I'm fine without it before battle…at least for a few hours. Now go away Uchiha so I can get ready." I wrapped a chunk of clay in plastic and placed it in my weapon case along with the three small tablet bottles.

"I'll arrive later to evaluate your progress and to be officially introduced to Kakashi," he stated as he crossed the hall. I starred after him for a moment because he didn't shut either of our doors. His back was to me.

I hobbled lazily out of bed, keeping my eyes on him. Itachi quickly made the transformation handseals. He morphed into the spikey black-haired Icatai, icy blue eyes and all. It amazed me that a ninja at _my_ level couldn't tell that he was using a transformation jutsu without using my sharingan. He truly was an imperceptible shinobi. I smiled and shut my door.

My heart flipped now more then ever when I was around him, since last night anyway. ~I'm so glad he's finally treating me like a friend, even if he's just acting for the mission. Which it could very well be just that. I don't really care at the moment, I only want him to be like the old Itachi, caring and sympathatic.

I changed into my favorite outfit as I thought. A tight black undershirt, much like Itachi's, followed by a fit sleeveless dark blue jacket like shirt with the hood cut off for a certain reason. Kisame's signature way of stopping me was grabbing the hood. I touched my neck. I wasn't a fan of being choked. It was unzipped right above my chest to show my black shirt. Black knee length pants came next followed by my black fingerless gloves and dark blue ninja shoes.

~It's different to dress so lightly. That cloak must have been at least 10lbs if not more.~ Grabbing my headband, I tied it underneath my hair and onto my forehead snuggly. I wrapped my weapon's pouch around my right thigh.

Somehow my hair was perfect so I left it be. I decided to listen to Itachi about eating so I brought the apple to my mouth but stopped. ~He said we only have two left besides this one? I'd better save it for one of them.~ I put it on my desk for now and walked around the room. Some things still needed to be unpacked so I proceded to do so.

I kept my books in a box under my bed while everything else was put in specific places. At the bottom of one of the bags was a small silver jewlery box. I pulled it out and opened it. The inside was lined with dark blue satin. In the center rested my two most prized possessions

A silver heart pendant necklace lied in the box. Thin lace like metal bands wrapped around it in a beautiful design and a few diamonds etched around them. It was hand crafted by a jewler in Suna especially for me. I held it in my fingers and traced the lines gently, remembering the day he gave it to me. It was a few weeks before I left Konoha actually. I flipped it over softly and read the inscription on the back.

I read it over a few times then quickly flipped it back to avoid….reminicing longer than necessary. This necklace meant so much to me along with the one I currently wore around my neck and out of view. I removed it from under my shirt and looked down to view it. It had three thin metal strings holding the small locket. The locket was in the shape of the Uchiha clan's emblem, the fan.

Sasuke told me that since we never knew when my birthday was then he'd just give me a gift today. That day, was August 12. Ever since then, I celebrated my birthday on that day, in my mind anyway. I smiled down at the trinket. It had taken him almost a year to raise enough money for it and I was eternally grateful.

Itachi was unaware of my gift from Sasuke and vise-versa. I looked to the clock in my room. ~Shoot! I'm almost an hour late! You'd better be right Itachi!~

Grabbing the apple, I rushed out the door ironicly at the same time as Itachi and twisted to the sede to avoid crashing into him. "Sorry!" I exclaimed as I jumped down the flight of stairs. "I'm really late!" Itachi raised an accusing eyebrow, probably wondering why I was rushing after his explantation. "Better safe that sorry!" I called as I tossed the last 3 apples into a small back pack along with 4 water bottles and a bag of cookies that somehow got in the cabinet.

Itachi came downstairs with a black bottle and he placed it near me. "These are painkillers and bloodtablets," he explained apatheticly. "_You _may not need them, but your squad may in the future."

"So just a precaution," I stated as I put them in my bag before rushing around to prepare myself. He didn't say anying but I took it as a yes. He walked to the door but stopped in front of it.

"The Hokage requests my presence so I may be late with your evaluation. My assumption is that he wishes to have me as a shinobi for this village. If he requests me, I'll have no choice but to accept if we want to remain inconspicuous."

"And it also saves me the trouble of trying to gain friendships with the higher ups. You can help."

"Not necessarily," he said coldly, turning to face me and leaning against the door. I threw my bag over my shoulders.

"How so?" I began to walk towards him as I gripped the strap of my bag with one hand.

"Would it be easier to trust me, an impassive man with cold eyes, or you, a child with a rather uncanny aura?"

I nodded and rolled my eyes. "I see your point but," I smiled and came closer to him. "You could act all happy and fun, like me!" My face was right at his eye level when I stood on the tips of my toes.

He pushed my away in an annoyed manner with one of his hands. "You're late, leave." He moved from the door and opened it to let me through. I took a step back.

"Wait a second," I said with a laugh. "You said I didn't have to go ye-."

"Things change." He pushed me out the door effortlessly then shut and locked it. ~Locking it won't do anything, you loser.~ "Try to teleport back in and you'll regret it." His voice was stern but I could have swore that some amusement was in it. ~Dang it!~

I hit the door with my fist hard. "Curse you Hayate!" I yelled in mock anger, waving my fist in front of me in mock anger. People walked by so I didn't use his actual name. "Curse you and your locked door!" I could literally feel him roll his eyes in annoyance at my childish behaivior. "See ya later!" I made the transportation seal and disappeared.


	11. Chapter 11: Pre Survival Training

Pre Survival Training

Hikari's Pov

I reappeared behind a tree in the training ground. I was now officially an hour and a half late but there was no sign of Kakashi so I figured that I wasn't in trouble. The three Genins were present and they looked irritated.

I walked up behind them silently and stopped behind Naruto. I bent down and whispered, "What's up?"

He screamed and jumped up quickly to turn and face me. I chuckled slightly and stood, gripping a strap on my pack. Sakura and Sasuke looked over to me quickly after the scream. They both wore annoyed faces after seeing the reason why Naruto had cried out.

"Hikari!" He exclaimed, starting to calm down.

"You're late!" Sakura exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at me. I scoffed.

"No dip," I said as I sat down cross-legged on the grass. "Been here long?" I opened the bag slowly as I placed it on my lap.

"Only over a freakin' hour!" Naruto exclaimed angrily. His stomach growled and he cried fake anime tears. "I'm starving!" Smiling, I reached into my pack and pulled out the 3 apples and water bottles.

Naruto looked at them, mouth agape. I tossed him one then threw one to Sakura and Sasuke along with a water bottle each. "Go ahead and eat." I layed down and looked up at the clouds.

"B-But Kakashi sensei sai-." I cut him off.

"It was just a bluff Naruto. You'll need some sort of nurishment later on, so eat." He still hesitated so I sat up and sighed. "Hey." He looked down at me and I gave him a confident smirk. "If he catches you, I'll take all the blame." I looked over my left shoulder. "Same for you two."

Naruto didn't need any more reassurance. He chomped on the apple hungrily then gulped down half the water. Sakura looked to Sasuke and he studied the red fruit. I stood up and took it from him. He glanced to me apatheticly, tinges of annoyance still lingured from yesterday.

"It's not poisoness Uchiha," I said, rolling my eyes. I took a bite of it and savored the taste. I hadn't eaten and this was probably the only food I'd get for hours. When I swallowed, I threw it back to him. "See?" He looked slightly disgusted but let his stomach talk him into eating it. It was gone in seconds and so was the water.

Seeing that her love was eating, Sakura proceded to munch on her apple slowly then began on her water.~Took long enough.~ I looked to Naruto. He still looked starved.

"There's a bag of cookies in my bag Naruto. Take as many as you want." He smiled cheezily and hugged me until I almost suffocated.

"Oh thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" He said quickly as he pulled out the big bag and began to stuff his face.

"Hey!" Sakura exclaimed. "I want some!" She hit him in the head and he dropped the bag.

"No fair Sakura!" He tried to grab the cookies but she proceded to eat. "I _need _them!"

"Not as much as me! I'm starving!" They continued to argue so I siddled over to Sasuke who was sitting with his back against a stump.

I sat down beside him and leaned my head on his shoulder in a friendly way. "How've you been?" He scoffed and eyed me with annoyance at being so close.

"What do you want now?" he asked, rather demanded emotionlessly. I frowned and faked hurt.

"I can't just say hi to my new best bud?" He pushed me off roughly and looked away from me as I laughed quietly. He didn't turn back to me but I shrugged it off. I sighed and spoke in a more serious tone. "I'm sorry about yesterday."

This caught his attention for a moment at least because he stiffened slighlty.

"For stealing your head-band, running, hiding, and having you find Icatai for me. Though… I was slighlty surprised that you didn't leave me in that alley."

I saw him smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I thought about it." I frowned at him childishly.

"Oh, right," I gasped quietly, causing Sasuke to turn towards me. "I almost forgot about something." He raised a questionable eyebrow. "Our bet is still on. Have you figured it out yet?"

"…No." He looked forward and stared at nothing in particular. "But its not over yet. I have plently of time." I nodded.

"True…but." I looked over at Sakura who was still fighting with Naruto. "I'd hate for you to lose the opportunity of going out with Sakura." He said nothing, only stood up and jumped up to sit on the log above me. His feet planted against the front of it and his elbows rested on his knees with his head in his hands.

I stood up and my head barely reached his feet. He looked down at me and groaned slightly. "Leave. Me. Alone." He enounciated each word evenly and glared down at me.

"Please don't glare," I asked as I looked up at him, slightly sad. "I'm just…um…" I thought up a lie. "Kidding around while I still can. You seem _pretty _smart so I think you'll have a good chance at figuring it out."

He let out a "hn". "Then why did you agree?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out." I smiled friendly and he smirked, turned forward, and closed his eyes slowly. I decided to start my warm-up conditioning with a small portion of my normal routine. 4 miles, 100 push-ups, 100 pull-ups, and 1 more mile of running on my hands.

Pushing myself form the vertical log, I stretched. By this time, Sakura and Naruto had finished arguing and looked at me strangely. I ignored them until Naruto spoke up.

"What are you doing, Hikari?" he asked coming up to me. I was on the ground stretching my legs and back slowly.

"Getting ready to warm-up," I replied bending backward. I got in a back bend position, all 4 appendages on the ground. I walked back with my hands towards my ankles swiftly. When I grabbed them, I crouched down and jumped up, flipping backwards to land perfectly on my feet with my hands above my head. "Want to join?"

Sakura had joined Naruto and they both gaped at my acrobatic skills. ~They're impressed by that simple stunt? Strange…~ Naruto shook his head. "No way!" he exclaimed. "You probably run a mile or something for your warm-up!"

"Actually…" I began with a fake uneasy look. Sakura gaped wider.

"You run _more?_" she groaned. "Count me out." She looked up to see Sasuke on the stump/log. "Sasuke!" Her annoying melodic voice hung in the air. She ran up to the log and looked to him. "Let's do something together! I'm bored!"

Sasuke jumped down from the log and for a second Sakura's eyes glowed with victory and excitement, until he crushed her hopes that is. "What is your warm-up exactly?" He asked with a mocking tone.

"B-But Sasuke," Sakura whined, holding his arm. He brushed her off and walked towards me.

"Four miles, one hundred push-ups, one hundred pull-ups, and one more mile of running on our hands." Naruto looked queazy at the sound of so much exercise and Sakura looked like she was going to pass out. Sasuke smirked and stopped a yard from me.

"That's it? I expected more after yesterday." He seemed full of confidence but by the way he reacted so quickly and by the shift of his body, I could tell he knows that my "warm-up" is not as easy as it sounds. And it _doesn't _sound easy to begin with.

"I turned away and jogged off. "Let's go then!" I yelled back. "Try and keep up." The next thing I knew, he was running ahead. Right when he passed me he spoke.

"Same to you." His voice was cold and lined with amusement. He was way ahead now so I started to run half-speed again to catch up with him and slowed to his pace once I reached him.

Seeing that I caught up, he tried to run faster and I easily kept pace. At the pace we ran, we finished four miles in 10 minutes, stopping near the lake about half a mile away from the other two. Sasuke panted heavily from running that hard and I faked the same thing. In reality, I was fine and only small amounts of air was needed.

~He kept up perfectly with half my speed today! Any normal Genin would have passed out after the first mile!~ Seeing us, Sakura quickly started to run over screaming Sasuke's name. Naruto followed a ways behind.

I got in push-up position and started the 100 push-ups. Seeing me start, Sasuke wiped the sweat from his brow and regulated his breathing before dipping down in push-up position. He began strong and kept going. His form was as good as mine and he efficiently used his muscles in the exercise.

We both finished as the other two reached us. Sakura kept telling Sasuke that he was so strong and cool while Naruto just watched us in awe and jealousy. Sasuke and I grasped a thick tree branch and proceded with the pull-ups. He finished before me and smirked. ~Sasuke has some serious upper body strength for his age.~

Finishing, I dropped and wiped away the sweat on my face with a rag from my pouch. Sasuke did the same. His breathing started to return to normal and I smirked while tucking in my shirt. Jumping up, I twisted forward to land on my hands, balancing perfectly.

I walked using my hands. "Let's just make it back to the starting point, about half a mile," I said to Sasuke with a grin. He nodded back apatheticly but I could tell he was thankful. He hopped up to do the same after tucking in the side of his shirt sloppily, exposing part of his lower torso. He _definitly_ had muscles.

Sakura gawked at him, hands clasped together and hearts in her eyes. She was practically drooling. ~Stupid girl. Looks aren't everything.~

"Hey Naruto!" I called happily.

"Huh?" He walked up to where I could see him and crouched down. "What is it Hikari?"

"Let's race!" I exclaimed happily. I grinned and closed my eyes in a feminine way. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"What? But you're on your ha-."

"You heard me. Ready…"

He jumped up sort of panicky. "Wait a second! I'm no-."

"Go!"

I sprinted forward on my hands towards the logs. I didn't look back but I felt their stares. ~Hope I'm not showing off _too _much…~ I smiled. ~Probably am though.~ I felt a familiar presence behind me and it wasn't who I was expecting.

"Sasuke?!" I exclaimed. He smirked and continued running on his hands, passing me up. ~How the heck?!~ I tried to catch up and barely made it but he still beat me, barely. Naruto came in to in a few seconds after me, panting heavily, followed by Sakura only a second later.

She glomped Sasuke. "That was awesome!" she squealed happily, almost choking him. "You're awesome!" I tapped on her shoulder and she glared at me. "What?!"

"I don't think he can breathe," I said, smiling in a disarming way. "Sorry, but I'd like to have a living teammate."

She didn't let go but she did loosen her grip, slightly. "Sakura, get off me." Sasuke forced her off and she frowned sadly. He leaned back against one of the logs, closed his eyes, and began regulating his breathing.

I walked to his side. "I'm impressed," I whispered to only him. "Only a few other people have beaten me in a hand race." ~But they were all _older, _except for Haku. He was about my age…if I remember correctly.~

He smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "Seems like you're going to lose a lot of things today," he replied cockily.

"Hmp." I walked towards Naruto. "We'll see Uchiha," I said in a mumble. Naruto paced around in a bored manner and I stood in his way. "Calm down," I said, holding his shoulders.

"Why does Kakashi-sensei have to be 2 hours late?!" He exclaimed angrily. "I'm ready to go now!" His remark made me grin and I ruffled his hair playfully. He looked to me in annoyance as he fixed the spikes.

"No worries. He'll be here soon." I laid on my back in the grass, hands behind my head and eyes closed in content. I crossed my ankles and started to daydream until I felt a presence loom over me.

"You're really weird," came my absolute _favorite _melodic voice. "Do you have multiple personality disorder or something?" I tried to ignore her but she just kept talking. "You came here all nice and stuff, then you start being mean to _my _Sasuke, then all of a sudden you freak out. It's _a..noy…ing._" She dragged out the word annoying and my eye twitched.

~Is she picking a fight with me?~ I sighed mentally and let out a breath. ~If Itachi taught me one thing, it's how to control my anger towards people lower than me.~

"Oh!" She exclaimed in a huff, believing that I wasn't listening. "You're an idiot, an annoying stupid idiot who won't listen to anybody because you only care about yourself! ~Okay, I'll react now.~ I had to literally force myself from decking her. I took a deep breath.

"I've been _listening _to your ranting and no, I do not have a personality disorder. I just use different emotions depending on the situation. Second, I am not an idiot in any way. If you want me to prove it, I gladly will but otherwise keep your mouth shut. And lastly, I do care about others and if you ever dare say that again-." I cut myself off and my eyes snapped open. "-I won't hesitate in knocking you out of the country. Got it?" I put venom and slight anger in my voice, making it menacing and threatening.

Sakura seemed scared by my sudden mood swing and she stomped over to stand next to Sasuke. She hugged his arm tightly and he didn't react. She whispered something to him. "She's a worthless ninja Sasuke. You deserve _much _better." ~That's it. You've officially crossed the line.~

I jumped up and turned to face her, eyes glaring blades far worse than daggers. "That's it," I stated with anger leaking out. I was in front of her in a millisecond, arm back, ready to punch her lights out.

Sakura screamed as my fist came forward quickly. Naruto tried to run over to help but would be far too late. My fist was only a few inches away when my arm was jerked to a stop. Sakura opened her eyes, wondering why I had stopped. Sasuke looked somewhat shocked by my action but his eyes said that he saw it coming. I looked back to the person who had my arm. It was none other than Kakashi-sensei.

~Shoot…~


	12. Chapter 12: Survival Training Prt 1

Survival Training Prt. 1

Hikari's Pov

Kakashi's grip around my upper arm was tight and firm and he would not let me move forward at all. I looked up at the silver-haired man in an apologetic way but anger still marred my face. He was reading a Make-Out Paradise Book while holding me with one hand. I could tell he was struggling to hold me back like that but no one else seemed to.

"Let's not hurt our teammates on the first day, Hikari," he said in a laid-back tone. He looked away from his book and into my eyes with his one visible one. "I thought you were more disciplined than this."

"Bu-." I cut myself off and sighed. I nodded and relaxed my arm. "I apologize sensei. That was uncalled for. He smiled at me and I looked away, annoyed but only letting it show slightly. "I'm sorry Sakura." I spit those three words out but it's not like I meant them.

Kakashi released my arm and it fell to my side limply. I didn't look at anyone as I turned around and stood quietly, waiting for directions.

"Alright then," Kakashi began, putting his book away. "Good morning guys!" He closed his eye, smiled, and waved at us, even though we were right in front of him.

"You're late!" Naruto and Sakura exclaimed while pointing accusing fingers. ~He actually came just in time. If my punch would have connected…~ I shuddered mentally. ~My fist was conjoined with chakra to make it as strong as the sannin Tsunade's punches! Sakura would have had a broken nose and jaw at the very least… that move would have _definitely_ put up more suspicion towards me and Itachi.~

Kakashi walked over to a shorter stump near the logs. He was as tall as the almost 6' log and this stump didn't even reach his waist. He took something out of his backpack and placed it on the top. ~A clock? It's around 10. So he's about 2 and a half hours late…Itachi was right…of course…~

"It's set for noon." He clicked the top of the clock to adjust it. The four of us looked at him questionably. He reached into his pocket and took out three silver bells on strings. "Here are three bells." He looked and sounded bored when he spoke. "Your task is to take these from me before noon. Those who cannot get a bell by noon…get no lunch. I'll also tie you up to one of those stumps." He pointed at the tall logs. "And I'll eat right in front of you."

I refrained from smiling and faked an are-you-kidding-me face. ~You better be thankful you three. Even if it wasn't much.~ I didn't see their reactions because I was slightly in front of them.

"You only need to get one bell. There are three so one of you will definitely be tied up." He slowly shortened the string on the bells by pulling them into his hand. "And the person who doesn't take a bell fails. So, at least one of you will be sent back to the Academy." He looked at us seriously. I felt the atmosphere tense and I looked back from the corner of my eye.

Naruto and Sakura looked worried. Sasuke just wanted to hurry up and get started. ~I couldn't agree more.~

Kakashi closed the bells in his hand and returned his face to its regular lazy demeanor. "You can even use your shuriken," he said. "You won't succeed unless you come at me intending to kill."

"But!" Sakura exclaimed franticly. "You'll be in danger!"

"Yeah, you'll probably be too slow to dodge anything!" Naruto exclaimed with a laugh. "We'll kill you!" He had his hands behind his head and started to crack up now. ~Naruto! You idiot! He's a Jounin! He could kill _you_!~

Kakashi didn't look angry but he replied in a slightly serious and low voice. "In the ninja world, often those with no talent bark the loudest. Well, let's ignore Mr. Dead last for now."

~Naruto, please don't do anything rash…~ Too bad he didn't acknowledge my mental plea. "Dead last!" he exclaimed angrily. I turned back to him and tried to stop him from doing anything. I was a second late. He had a kunai out and was about to launch it at Kakashi.

"Wait Naru-." I was cut off when Kakashi began to move. My reflexes that told me to move quickly and stop his approach almost took over but I managed to only react half way to stay as unnoticed as possible. I could have just stood there. Kakashi wasn't going to harm him…at least not much without warning.

I appeared back to back with Naruto, Kakashi in front of me and Naruto's wrist was locked in his grasp. The kunai was in the hand that he grasped and it would have pointed towards the back of Naruto's neck but instead it almost pierced my hand. The back of my hand nearly touched my chest near my heart and the point of the kunai was on my palm, nearly drawing blood. My normal reaction would have been stopping Kakashi before he took a step. But instead, I had waited for him to move completely before intervening.

I looked up at him with a fake worried look and slight irritation, but not because of how close the metal was but by my own reaction. Kakashi's other hand held the top of Naruto's head and blonde spikes stood in between his fingers. ~Shoot… Why'd I move? I knew he wasn't going to hurt him.~

I wasn't the only one shocked. Kakashi's eye went wide for a second in utter astonishment at my reflexes. Sasuke and Sakura had jumped back as soon as Kakashi had appeared and they both were utterly amazed at his speed and mine as well. I could tell that Naruto was wondering what the heck had just happened.

After another second, Kakashi's returned his face to normal and spoke to Naruto. "Slow down, I haven't said start yet." I didn't move because I would accidentally cut myself on the kunai if I attempted to just walk away. "Well… it seems that you're prepared to come at me attempting to kill. So, you've finally acknowledged me?" I heard Naruto grumble something. Kakashi grinned slightly and chuckled. "It seems like I'm beginning to like you guys."

He released Naruto's wrist and Naruto's arm fell back to his side. I put my hand down after looking at it. There was a small red hole but nothing even minor. Naruto finally noticed me and smiled in thanks but looked surprised by my actions and by the fact that he didn't even see me move.

"Okay, let's get going," Kakashi said seriously. "Ready…" We all got into positions. "Start!" With that, I vanished along with the others.

I reappeared near the top of a tree close to the opening. The leaves covered me and I used a jutsu to hide my chakra. Only an Anbu trained ninja would be able to locate me without searching for days. Though it would still take them a few hours at least. And that's if I stayed still. I located all three of my teammate's chakra and their exact positions. Sakura was underneath a bush of some sort, Sasuke was in a tree on the opposite side of the clearing, and Naruto…was in the middle of everything.

Kakashi looked at him strangely. "Come and fight me!" Naruto exclaimed, crossing his arms. ~Naruto! You can't take him on! He'll obliterate you!~ I ran down the tree quickly, dodging branches and leaves.

"Umm…You're a bit off…" I heard Kakashi say. I reached the lowest branch which was 10ft from the ground. From my position, nothing but one thick branch and a few hundred leaves blocked my view of the two ninjas. They were about 10 yards away.

"The only thing a bit off is your haircut!" Naruto ran in quickly. I almost jumped in but decided against it for the moment. Kakashi reached into his weapon pouch and Naruto stopped.

"Ninja lesson #1, Taijutsu," Kakashi began as he fumbled in his pack. "I'll teach you about it."

~Yet he's taking out a weapon?~ After a second, Kakashi pulled something out, but I wasn't expecting it. I frowned and looked at Kakashi with slight annoyance and lack of respect. Kakashi held the "Make-out Paradise" book and was beginning to read it. ~He's reading that perverted book during a fight? He really doesn't consider Naruto a threat.~

"What's wrong?" Kakashi asked as his eyes scanned the page. "Hurry and come at me."

"But…Hey! Why do you have a book?!"

"Why? Well because I want to read what happens in the story. Don't worry about it. It won't make a difference against you guys."

Naruto rolled up his sleeve and ran in angrily. "I'm going to beat you to a pulp!" He exclaimed. He launched himself forward, fist out in an attempt to punch him in the face. Kakashi just raised a hand to block it easily while keeping his eyes on the text. Naruto swiped up with his leg and Kakashi ducked and kept down. I gripped the branch of the tree tightly and leaned forward intently. ~You can't keep up with him Naruto. He's at a whole different level.~

I watched as Naruto missed again and Kakashi got behind him with a single hand sign intact. The tiger seal. "Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed. "Get out of there or you'll be killed! I rolled my eyes. ~Kakashi wouldn't…~ I looked closely and he had an evil glint in his eye. ~Shoot!~ I quickly made a shadow clone that looked like Naruto then substituted it for Naruto right before Kakashi's attack. I grabbed the real Naruto as soon as he appeared and covered his mouth and immobilized him. He struggled relentlessly until my face came into few. He mumbled my name and I shushed him and nodded in the direction of Kakashi.

"Thousand years of death!" Kakashi exclaimed, a bit overdramatically. The fake Naruto was launched into the air by Kakashi prodding him in the butt. Naruto landed in the water and Kakashi resumed reading his book.

Naruto watched in shock from my grip at my clone's fate. He looked up at me strangely afterwards. "Sorry about scaring you," I whispered quickly. "I didn't know what Kakashi was going to do for sure. I didn't expect that stupid move. I was just making sure you were safe. Now, we have to hurry before Kakashi notices that it's not you he hit." Naruto looked confused at my quick explanation but shrugged it off. "I have a plan." I whispered it into his ear.

~A simple plan with tricks and traps. A Genin could have come up with this so it should be fine.~ Once I finished, he started to wave his hands franticly so I let him go. "Hey!" He whisper yelled. "I have a better plan!" I raised my eyebrow in suspicion and he whispered it into my ear quickly.

When he finished, I rolled my eyes inconspicuously. "We'll try it. But it may not turn out that great. He is a Jounin after all." He smiled in mock evil and I sighed mentally. I grabbed his arm and made the hand seal. "Hold your breath." He couldn't say anything because I transported right away.

We appeared underwater and I let go of Naruto. He hadn't taken a very good breath but he could last another 30 seconds or so. ~It was your stupid plan! Why weren't you ready?!~ My blonde hair rose and fell fluidly in the lake and surrounded my face. Naruto started to make the hand seals as planned quickly.

Eight Naruto clones appeared and one of them swam to the surface, pretending to be Naruto. The others struggled to hold their breaths but did so reluctantly as the real Naruto and I swam to our position. We swam to the surface after reaching it.

As soon as I reached the surface, I breathed in silently and hid behind a rock in the water. I held the back of the rock and the gentle current moved around my body slowly. I watched Kakashi lecture "Naruto" a few yards away. Naruto breathed in loudly and I quickly covered his mouth and hid completely behind the large stone. I shushed him and he looked at me apologetically. I let him go and he panted. I looked around the rock cautiously. Kakashi was still talking so he didn't seem to notice the noise.

~Dang it! He still hasn't let his guard up! There's no way this will work out unless…~ I frowned. ~Unless Kakashi's a complete idiot.~ I moaned mentally. ~If only I was doing this alone. It would be much easier. Then again…I can't take him at _Genin _level.~

Kakashi finished talking to Naruto and turned around and began walking partially in our direction. I gave Naruto the signal and he nodded as a mischievous smirk crossed his face.

All 7 of the Naruto clones jumped out of the water and started to run at Kakashi. He turned around and looked only slightly surprised. He said something about "talking a good game" then something along the lines of "you don't have what it takes to win."

~Now's our chance!~ "Now Naruto!" I exclaimed in a whisper. I leapt onto the rock and jumped forward. I latched myself onto Kakashi's back.

"Behind me!" Kakashi exclaimed. I smirked and held Kakashi's arms from underneath and pulled my arms up to make his immobile. I wrapped my legs around his waist and locked them backwards so he could not run.

The bells chimed slightly and I spoke. "Never show your back to an opponent," I said seriously. "Especially me." I leaned in to whisper in his ear. "If we succeed, give the credit to Naruto. It's his plan." He didn't seem to hear but I knew he did.

Naruto appeared in the front of the shadow clone attack force and got ready to pound Kakashi when what I feared happened. Kakashi traded places using the Substitution Jutsu. He switched with a Naruto clone then the Naruto clone switched places with me. I was now the one in the strong hold.

~Shoot! I knew this would happen!~ I used my strength to push myself to the left and toppled to the ground, right before Naruto's fist came face to face with my cheek. This action caused the clone that looked like me to fall off and land a few feet away.

I stood up and the look-alike clone went to stand by Naruto, still unaware that it had been turned into me. Naruto and his clones looked at me angrily. They pointed out accusing fingers.

"Kakashi-sensei turned into Hikari!" They exclaimed loudly. I refrained from widening my eyes but I put my hands in front of me.

"No. _I'm _Hikari, Naruto," I said seriously as I walked backwards slowly. I searched around for Kakashi. ~Where'd he go? He has to be close.~

All the Naruto clones rushed in. "You're lying!" The real one yelled. I sighed mentally and took a defensive stance.

They all sent in punches and kicks and I dodged them all easily. All around me, the clones launched attacks and I jumped and twisted away from every one of them. When I landed I put one hand on my hip.

"Naruto!" I said loudly. "Stop wasting time!" He didn't listen and they all tackled me to the ground, or so they thought. With a "poof" my shadow clone disappeared and I jumped out of the tree and landed on the real Naruto's back, causing him to fall on his stomach with me on top of him.

"Ahhh!" Naruto yelled as I restrained him from moving.

"Call off your jutsu!" I said as I struggled to keep him down. "I'm NOT Kakashi! I promise!"

"Fine!" Naruto released his Jutsu and it was just the two of us. I stood up and put my hand out for him. He grabbed it grumpily and I pulled him up. He brushed himself off. "Sorry Hikari," he mumbled.

"Well that worked out nicely," I said sarcastically. I crossed my arms and closed my eyes in thought. "Now, let's carry out my plan. We'll find the others and…-" I cut myself off as I heard Naruto chuckle and walk away.

He ran over to a nearby tree and I gazed at him. "Look, Look!" He began excitedly as he was reaching down. A glint of silver shown and it looked like a bell. It was a bell. ~A trap?!~

"Naruto, wait!" I said as I began to run over. "It's a trap!"

"Kakashi-sensei must have dropped it but now its mi-." He was cut off when I pushed him to the side, right after he touched the bell.

The rope barely missed grabbing onto his ankle miraculously and it was left hanging by a branch. I glared lightly at Naruto and he scratched the back of his head and laughed lightly.

"He…he…" he laughed nervously. "Guess you were right." I was annoyed but I tried to not let it show too much. I turned and began to walk towards the closest presence, Sakura's.

"Alright, let's go. Leave the bell for now, there's probably another tra-." I was yet again cut off by the sound of a rope being pulled and Naruto screaming. I sighed and turned back to him. Sure enough, Naruto was bobbing up and down from a rope latching to his ankle.

"What the heck?!" He exclaimed. "A 2nd trap right under the first!" I was about to yell at him but I took a deep breath and walked over cautiously, searching for Kakashi as I did so. When I finally reached the tree, I stopped and looked up at him with a slightly cold stare. He looked kind of scared by my reaction and I crossed my arms.

"Naruto," I began seriously. "Being caught in such an obvious trap was stupid." I pulled a kunai out. I was about to throw it at the rope to cut it when I sensed Kakashi's presence, right behind me. Naruto's eyes went widened but I kept still and confident.

"She _is _right," Kakashi said monotony. Naruto looked angry and he clenched his fists. "Shinobi read the hidden meanings within the hidden meanings.

"I know that!" Naruto exclaimed, struggling against the rope.

"Uh, no you don't. That's why I'm saying it." I felt Kakashi lower his guard. ~What? Why? Unless…~ I looked towards Sasuke's presence. Sure enough, he was about to launch a barrage of kunai and shuriken at him. ~Shoot! Sasuke don't! It's another trap!~ I tried to get his attention by waving the hand at my side that was closest to him in a stop-it manner.

It didn't work. "Naruto you-." Kakashi was cut off by all the weapons embedding into his side.

"No way!" Naruto exclaimed. I didn't face the scene but I felt what happened and since Kakashi was near me, I felt the wind of the weapons. "That was overkill Sasuke!" ~No, just a substitution Jutsu.~ Kakashi turned into a log as I predicted and Sasuke's chakra disappeared from that spot as he moved away. Naruto looked really surprise.

I didn't say anything at first but finally cut him down. The bell was gone now because Kakashi had taken it. He landed and didn't look very happy.

"Okay, NOW let's complete my plan of action," I said in a slightly demanding voice.

"Are you kidding?!" he exclaimed franticly. "I have to redeem myself and take a bell from Kakashi-sensei by myself! I have to gain his respect!" He started to run off when I yelled after him.

"Naruto, wait! We need to work…" Too late. He was gone. ~Complete imbecile! I know I taught him better than this!~ I rubbed my temple. ~May as well find the others then worry about him.~ Sakura was moving but she was still closest so I followed.


	13. Chapter 13: Survival Training Prt 2

Survival Training Prt. 2

Hikari's Pov

In a minute, I had caught up and once she saw me, she quickened her pace and I did the same. "What do you want?" She asked angrily. "Can't you see that I'm trying to find Sasuke! He could be hurt! Or worse!"

I nodded. "That's why we should team up. It'll be easier and safer if we're together."

"Are you crazy?!" She exclaimed. "All you want to do is impress Sasuke! You want him all for yourself! He's mine! Got it?" I frowned and turned to look forward as we jumped form tree branch to tree branch.

"I'm not trying to show you up if that's what you're implying," I said seriously. "I just _know _that it would be better if we worked together as a _team_." I tried dropping hints but it didn't seem to help.

"Well I don't need any help! I'll prove my love to Sasuke by giving him my bell. That's right! I love him enough to go back to the Academy for another year!" She had hearts in her eyes and her hands were clasped together while she sighed dreamily.

~This girl….is full of it. I don't think I EVER felt this loving about Itachi…at least not out loud anyway….~ I smiled lightly and looked over at Sakura again.

"Maybe Sasuke will team up with us," I began, trying to be persuasive.

"Me of course!" she exclaimed. "But I don't know about you." She sneered and I held in my anger. ~You'd think that she'd lay off the insults after this morning…~

A rustle sounded beneath us so we stopped on a thick branch and kneeled down. Kakashi was walking with his book a few inches from his face. He was pretty much right in the open. A perfect position for someone to ambush him.

~He just loves traps. Its obviously a clone.~ "Keep your guard up Sakura," I whispered as I pulled a kunai out. "That's not the real Kaka-."

"Don't be so cautious," she whispered in annoyance. "Kakashi- sensei is just being stupid. Reading that pervy book without knowing what's going on." She shifted slightly and kneeled down to look at him. I repeated the act.

"Don't underestimate him Sakura," I said seriously as I felt his presence move nearby. "He's out to get us, remember?" Sakura looked at me from the corner of her eyes.

"We're safe Hikari. He hasn't even noticed us yet." She gestured her hand and I stiffened slightly as the presence drew closer and closer. I brought up my kunai.

"Be ready."

"I just told you that we're safe Hi-."

"Sakura, Hikari," a familiar voice echoed. "Behind you." We both turned around quickly and Kakashi was only a foot away, and he was staring at us intently, just like I said. ~"Be ready" but you didn't have your guard up at all Sakura. Stupid move.~

Kakashi made a hand seal and leaves circled around Sakura and me quickly then Kakashi disappeared. The wind soon died down and we were standing on the ground.

"What was that and where is Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked as she looked around. I looked around and smirked. ~A simple Genjutsu? That's all you're using?~

"Sakura. This is an illusion meant to cause immense emotion to erupt. You must stay calm no matter what…unless you know the seal to free yourself."

"An illusion?" She sounded confused. "You mean Genjutsu?" I nodded. "I wouldn't fall for some stupid Genjutsu. And what do you mean "free yourself?" You can get us out, right?"

"Yeah…" I sighed. I was about to make the release sign when a weak voice sounded behind us.

"Sakura, Hikari." I recognized the voice immediately.

"Sasuke?!" I asked and Sakura exclaimed. We turned around and witnessed the most disturbing vision of Sasuke that we would ever witness.

"Sa…Sakura…Hi…Hikari, help me…," he pleaded. Kunai and shuriken were embedded into his skin and cut everywhere, even his former flawless face. Blood flowed form all the cuts and piercing slowly as well as his mouth. His left arm was completely cut off from the elbow down and was nowhere to be found and nothing covered the wound, allowing everything to flow out. His left leg was broken and twisted back at the knee and it bent so that his toes were pointing up when his leg was behind him.

I closed my eyes and turned away to try and calm myself. ~Just…an…illusion. That's all it is. Sasuke is alright. There's nothing wrong.~ I calmed down and kept my eyes from him.

Unfortunately, Sakura couldn't calm herself or remember that it was only an illusion. She screamed at the top of her lungs and fell backwards, tears in her eyes. I looked down at her and groaned quietly. ~This is _exactly _why I told you to remain calm!~

I quickly released the Genjutsu without a second glance and "Sasuke" disappeared. Sakura remained on the ground and she was shaking.

"N-Not Sasuke," she said shakily. "He has to be alright. But, no he's dieing. I can't help him."

I shook my head. That. Was. Not. Sasuke," I said with emphasis. "That was Genjutsu for the millionth time!" Sakura continued mumbling to herself and hadn't moved.

I rolled my eyes and reached down to help her up. When she didn't react, I pulled her along the ground. I hid her at the base of a tree in the middle of three bushes. I hid her chakra presence before speaking.

"Stay here if you want. I'm going to find Sasuke. If we're going to have a chance, then we have to work together. When you feel better, go find Naruto and bring him with you, and then find us." She didn't respond but I ran off.

Sasuke wasn't too far off and I could sense someone else with him. Kakashi. Dashing towards them, I tightened my grip on my kunai and ran slightly faster.

Suddenly, a large blast of fire exploded about ½ a mile away. I ran full speed for only a moment and got to the spot in less than 30 seconds. I stood on a tree branch over the area.

~Fire ball Jutsu. Sasuke has truly mastered it at last.~ I smiled as the fireball began to disappear, thinking about how he had struggled at first but was finally able to do it. Sasuke stood in a defensive stance when the fire fully vanished. He looked around quickly for Kakashi, I assume. I felt his presence below.

"Underground?!~ I gripped a branch tightly as I leaned out to make myself visible. "Sasuke!" I exclaimed. "Beneath you!" I was too late.

Kakashi grabbed his ankle from under ground. Sasuke looked down with a shocked expression then yelled out when Kakashi pulled him under the earth. The only visible part of him now was his neck up. Kakashi leaned down in front of him and I made the teleportation seal. I appeared behind Sasuke and stood, kunai out in a protective manner. Kakashi gazed up at me for a moment to confirm my presence. His eyes told me that he wasn't going to attack but I didn't let my guard up. Sasuke didn't seem to notice me.

"Ninjutsu, battle technique lesson number 3," Kakashi explained in his bored voice. "But at least, as you predicted, your performance was head and shoulders above your companions. But, you know what they say…" He stood up and took out his book again and began to read. "A nail that sticks up is the one that gets hammered in." He chuckled and walked away. I heard Sasuke curse under his breath.

Once Kakashi was farther away, I walked to Sasuke's side and crouched down. He looked startled when I appeared but quickly covered it up with an angry expression.

"Why the heck didn't you go after him?!" he exclaimed angrily.

"I thought I'd help you out first," I replied with a smile. I slid my hands into the hole as far as I could, brushing against his neck and shoulders to shift my hands correctly. I pulled and it gave way, making the hole larger. "That's what friends are for." I went to the front and repeated the procedure.

"Who said we were friends?" He scoffed angrily. "All you do is try to humiliate me and you won't. Leave. Me. Alone! You're no friend of mine." The earth gave way again and it was almost large enough for him to squeeze out.

What he said hurt badly, but I didn't express my sadness. "Okay, that's what _team_mates do," I said, making sure to emphasize team. "Because we're on a _team_, we should work _together._" I pulled up another large piece and reached down to help him climb out. He batted my hand away and climbed out by himself. He brushed himself off while giving me a slight glare. "We should team up, Sasuke."

"Pft. I don't need any help. Especially from you. I touched a bell last time but next time I'll take it." ~You _touched _it. That's why we should team up. You will _definitely_ get one if we're together. I guarantee it.~

"It would be easier if we worked together as a team," I tried to persuade. "We can even get Naruto and Sakura to help out."

"What part of no do you not understand?!" He half asked, half exclaimed. I put a hand on my hip and glared at him angrily. He returned the look.

Our glares were brought to a standstill when the pink haired ninja entered the area…alone. She turned our way and smiled widely. She ran over and glomped Sasuke. "Sasuke!" she exclaimed. "You're alive!"

"Yeah…okay…you can let go now," he said, slightly irritated.

"Sakura," I began with frustration. "Where's Naruto?" She looked over to me after she released Sasuke and the look she wore was snobby.

"You didn't expect me to leave Sasuke to go and find that idiot, did you?" She mostly stated with her hands on her hips. "I'm not taking orders from you." I clenched my teeth together to keep from screaming.

"It was an order that would benefit us all," I said through my teeth.

"Yeah right!" she exclaimed. "You just want all the bells for yourself!"

"That's what you think?" I began, anger leaking in my voice. I looked from her to Sasuke and he averted his gaze from mine. "Then I apologize for trying to help you out. And for trying to help you pass this test. You three are incompetent, self-centered, egotistic, idiots and I am already sick and tired of your attitudes!" I couldn't help but yell at them. I was almost to my limit with frustration over their idiocy. "You're stuck up little kids that don't know how to appreciate help from each other." I turned and began to walk away. "But that's fine if you'd rather not use teamwork. I guess I'll go fight Kakashi alone." I ran off before either of them could say a word.

Kakashi's Pov

"But that's fine if you'd rather not use teamwork. I guess I'll go fight Kakashi alone." I leaned against a tree as I looked down at three of my students. After listening to the whole conversation, I sighed and looked back to my novel. Hikari ran off in a random direction before they could utter a sound.

~It seems that Hikari is the only one understanding this exercise. The others have avoided her ideas, refused to cooperated, and are criticizing her statements.~ I glanced to my other side and saw Naruto running towards the others.

"Hey guys!" He exclaimed loudly as he entered the clearing. "Did you get a bell?!" Sasuke gave him a glare and Sakura frowned.

"No," she answered. "What about you?" He shook his head and sighed. He started to look back and forth.

"Have you guys seen Hikari?"

"Why do you care?!" Sakura asked angrily, still mad about Hikari's comments, none the less.

"Well…she said that she had a plan and it involved all of us so I figured she'd be with you." Sasuke stiffened slightly and Sakura looked startled.

"You mean, she wanted all of us to work together? She wasn't lying? She told us basically the same thing as you."

"So that's it." I turned my attention to Sasuke who had spoken. His eyes were closed and he was smirking.

"That's what?" Naruto asked, very confused.

Sasuke smirked wider and began to run off in the direction that Hikari disappeared. "Hey Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed. "Wait for me!" She followed and Naruto reluctantly followed as well.

The wind picked up slightly and my hair swished back as I chuckled. ~Finally, someone else has figured out that teamwork is the idea.~ I made the transportation hand seal. ~I probably shouldn't keep Hikari waiting. She seems to be slightly irritated at the moment.~


	14. Chapter 14: Survival Training Prt 3

Survival Training Prt. 3

Hikari's Pov

I ran aimlessly through the trees, only going half speed of course. I wasn't entirely positive where I was headed but I didn't care at the moment. I needed to calm down before seeing them again. Slowing to a walk, I approached a grassy clearing. I sighed quietly as I felt 4 chakra presences coming my way. Three of them were a good ten minutes away but the strongest was transporting here. I quickly threw four tags around me and hid them well.

Kakashi appeared back-to-back with me right after, reigning at least 6 inches over me. His novel was still near his face and the other hand was in his pocket. My blonde hair was plastered to my face from its soaked nature, giving me an intimidating look. I smiled weakly as we stood there for a few moments. Kakashi finally broke the silence.

"So…" he began in a laid back tone. "You're taking me on alone? Even after your companion's futile attempts?" He chuckled and eyed me from the corner of his eyes.

I narrowed my eyes but other then that, I was perfectly normal. "I _was _hoping that we could all fight together," I said, slowly lowering the annoyance in my voice. "But that idea was quickly declined." I turned my head slightly to look up to him. I frowned and he chuckled slightly at my reaction. To my surprise, he placed the book in his case and turned around to look at me.

He scratched the back of his head. "Alright then." He grinned and closed his eye. "Ladies first."

"Why thank you sensei," I said in mock politeness. I sprinted into the clearing, making hand seals in secret. Right as I finished, my exploding tags and a chakra barrier were set off at the same time, right in Kakashi's face. I heard him yell but I simply ignored it and stopped in the center of the clearing without looking back. I knew Kakashi was smart enough to avoid a simple explosion trap though… I glanced back for a second. ~I did put a barrier around to condense the explosion making it nearly 10x more powerful.~

Just as I finished my thought, I jumped and twisted to dodge a barrage of kunai and shuriken coming for me. As I landed, I looked to the location form which they came. Sure enough, leaning against a tree was Kakashi. I sighed mentally in relief to his well being. I really didn't want to kill my new teacher, especially not on the first day.

He looked relaxed and serious, but it was only a shadow clone. I frowned in frustration. I grabbed a kunai, wrapped a tag around it, and threw it at him quickly. He caught it of course but it also exploded, leaving behind no one.

~He can't assume my strength level as long as I use exploding tags, shuriken, and kunai. Though he will become suspicious if I don't use any Jutsu.~ I felt Kakashi's true presence coming towards me, dangerously quick. As soon as he was close, I whipped my left leg around and connected with his side, or at least I would have if he hadn't had blocked it. The force still sent him 10ft away as well as me because he held my left ankle with both hands.

My right hand held me stable on the ground. He looked, almost amused. I frowned and clenched my teeth together. ~Of course that pitiful attempt wouldn't hit.~ Kakashi began to twist my ankle, putting only enough pressure on it to cause discomfort. Pushing off the ground, I launched a punch to his face with my right fist. Removing one hand, he managed to catch my fist a mere inch from his face. I twisted my body and spun to the right in a jerking motion, causing him to let my ankle go as the heel of my right foot connected with his knee.

He fumbled backwards to avoid another kick to the same place. In the process, he had pulled out a kunai and I did the same. He slashed down while I slashed up, locking our kunai. I used my other hand to try and punch. He simply caught it. I looked up at him with fake frustration. This wasn't a difficult situation for me in the slightest.

"You didn't really believe that your tactics would work on me, Hikari?" he asked in a bored manner. He pressed down forcefully, causing my knees to shake slightly. I may have been a better ninja than him, but he had me beat in physical strength. I if was going to stand a chance, I had to use some sort of jutsu.

I sent an electric current through my body and into my kunai then it flowed to Kakashi's. Once it reached his hand, he immediately retracted his kunai to get away from the shock.

I smirked and reached for the bells while he stumbled. He moved right and I grasped his weapon pouch instead on accident and something fell out. As soon as it fell, I picked it up and smiled innocently. ~Excellent! I've finished the series! Thanks to that old pervy sannin none the less! I'll have to thank him the next time I see him!~

I flipped back a few yards and opened the book up to the spot Kakashi had book marked. I made a tsk-tsk sound with my tongue as I closed it back.

Kakashi just noticed the book in my grasp and he looked at me calmly as I dangled it in my left hand. His eyes only widened slightly for a millisecond but that was enough to show what he wanted.

He extended a hand politely and closed his eyes in an innocent manner. "Please, give that back to me," he said politely. I put a finger under my chin in a thinking manner.

"I don't know…" I said, slightly playful. I was enjoying this. "This is a very good book. Especially towards the middle when-."

"Stop!" Kakashi said hastily as he opened his eye. He recovered and scratched the back of his head and smiled. "Umm….young ladies shouldn't read that. So, please return it."

"I've already read the whole series," I stated. "It was very romantic." I smiled in fake admiration and my eyes also followed suit by growing large. "The last book is my favorite because-."

"Wait!" he interrupted again. "Don't tell me!"

"But you have to hear!" I exclaimed happily. I made sure to mouth the words perfectly so he could read my lips. "He finally does the unthinkable! He-." Kakashi plugged his ears and closed his eye to keep from hearing. That's when I put my semi-backup plan into action. It would be basic but very hard to detect.

I made three shadow clones and transformed them into my teammates, giving them each their actual chakra levels. The Sakura clone grabbed the bells while the Sasuke and Naruto clones kicked him in the side together. Kakashi collided into a tree painfully but recovered with only minor injuries.

I put the book out in front of me as my teammates all came and stood on either side of me with smirks on their faces.

"Here you go sensei." I said playfully sincere. "And thanks for the bells." I smiled as Kakashi returned to his bored manner and took his book. "This was our plan all along," I lied efficiently. "We planned it out while you were preoccupied with your "novel".

It looked like he frowned but I couldn't be sure. "Little trickster, eh?" he mostly stated as he put the book away. His expression changed to a smile. "That's one way to do it." I smiled back, thankful that he wasn't angry with my tactics, though he was probably upset that he didn't learn much about my fighting style.

He looked behind me at the shadow clones I made. They acted like their replicas of course. The Naruto and Sakura clones were cheering in victory and the Sasuke stood with his eyes closed and a smirk on his face.

"Come back to the starting point you 4, 'k?" I nodded and he disappeared.

I took the bells from the Sakura clone and snapped my fingers and they all three disappeared. I held the bells behind my back and waited for my three companions to arrive. A few moments later, Sasuke emerged from the trees quickly in a battle ready pose. Sakura and Naruto tumbled out of the brush next. They looked around quickly then they let out a sigh of relief that Kakashi was gone. Sasuke walked over to me with a slightly angry expression.

I raised an eyebrow when he stopped a considerable distance away. "Where's Kakashi?" he asked. I couldn't stifle my grin. This caused him to narrow his eyes at me.

"Back at the starting point," I answered as I closed my hands around the bells. "Waiting for us." I turned and started to walk off, clutching the bells tightly so they didn't jingle.

"But the timer hasn't gone off yet!" Naruto exclaimed as he walked over. "That's not fair!" I stopped walking.

"Maybe someone took the bells." I turned my head back to them. Sasuke scoffed and turned his head to the side. Sakura came up beside him and looked to me.

"That would have been impossible!" she exclaimed. "Not even Sasuke could get them." She crossed her arms and frowned stubbornly at me.

I grinned and turned to throw something to her. A bell of course. She caught it clumsily in a juggling manner then stared at it wide-eyed.

"Impossible? I think not."

"B-B-But how?!" Naruto exclaimed questionably, glancing to the bell then to me then to the bell then to me and so on. I turned completely around and walked back to them.

"_We _took them."

"Huh?!" He looked even more confused.

"I made three shadow clones and turned them into each of you," I began explaining as I fumbled with the bells behind my back. "I gave each of my clones an amount of chakra almost exactly equal to your individual chakras. They also acted like you too." I smiled and extended my hands in front of me. "Naruto, Sasuke." They both looked to me, Naruto with a question and Sasuke with irritation. "I'm holding a bell in a hand. Whoever chooses the right hand becomes a ninja and the other…" I cut myself off and let the words sink in.

Sasuke sneered angrily and Naruto gripped his head in frustration. "You're determining what happens with a 50-50 decision?!" Sakura half exclaimed. "B-But w-what if Naruto wins?! Sasuke is so much better." ~Geeze. All Naruto ever gets from anyone is an insult.~

I frowned to her before speaking. "I think 50-50 is fair." I tuned and looked at Naruto and Sasuke. "From my stand-point at the moment, they both don't deserve it entirely and I have yet to be impressed thoroughly by either one of them." I smiled lightly as Sasuke glared like normal and Naruto frowned and crossed his arms. A glint in his eyes told me he was happy with being considered equal with Sasuke. "Choose."

Naruto quickly chose my right hand and Sasuke was left with my left. I nodded and began to open my right hand. Everyone looked at it intently. Their fates decided on this one hand. I opened it to reveal……a bell.

"Yes! Believe it!" Naruto exclaimed happily, literally jumping up and down. "I get a bell!" Sasuke looked infuriated and Sakura didn't look much better.

"You-You-You little," Sakura began, waving a fist at me. "You planned to give Naruto the bell! But it's not fair!" She looked sad now. "Sasuke and I will be separated and its all your fault." ~_My _fault? I'm the one who got the bells. How is it _my _fault?~

"Are you done yet?" I asked with a sigh. I opened my left hand and it also held a bell. I tossed them to Naruto and Sasuke. They both looked at the bells in a bewildered way. "Friends don't leave friends behind, even if it means sacrificing one's own wishes." My voice was light but I meant my words. "So there you go."

Sasuke clenched the bell in his fingers. The same bell that had eluded him before. He looked down at it for a few moments. "So, what do we tell Kakashi?" he asked with slight hesitation lingering. "More than likely, he'll ask some questions."

"Right," I said, clasping my hands together. I reiterated my short battle, telling each of them their distinct roles in the fight. "And, if he asks when we planned this out…umm…." I put a hand under my chin and rested my elbow in my other hand to feign a thinking appearance. "Well…I'll think of something. Let's go."


	15. Chapter 15: End of Survival Training

End of Survival Training

Hikari's Pov

With that last bit said, we all started running towards the starting point, myself in the lead. Naruto caught up and ran at my side. He looked sad and I understood the reason. He really was a great friend, even if he didn't use his head sometimes.

"I want to do this Naruto," I whispered. He looked to me with a disbelieving face. "That's what friends are for and I'll still see you around when you're in the village. We can still hang out and…" I jabbed my thumb backwards to point at Sasuke. "Maybe have some fun with our best friend."

Naruto finally brightened up and even laughed loudly at my statement. I smiled happily and let out a few laughs as well. Ironically, we both turned to look at Sasuke at the same time, causing us to look very suspicious to the reason we were laughing. He didn't glare but he did scoff and look away. This caused Naruto to utter another fit of laughter.

Sasuke's Pov

Hikari and Naruto ran in front of me and Sakura ran at my side, to my annoyance, as we made our way to the starting mark. When the two began to talk I strained to listen to their conversation. After a few seconds, Hikari pointed her thumb in my direction, erupting laughter from Naruto. ~She's talking about me? And Naruto's…….laughing… Must be planning a way to prank me or something.~ They answered my assumption when they both turned to look at me at the same time and Naruto began to laugh again.

I scoffed and looked away. ~Too bad you won't have a chance, at least not for this week. You'll be too busy serving me.~ I smirked out of everyone's view before looking back to Hikari with a reformed face of seriousness.

Her wet hair swished around her face as she laughed and she began to turn back forward, but not before our eyes met. Her dark orbs had a faint look of sadness and guilt mixed together, but the majority of her eyes were covered with… a shield of some sort, blocking out any emotions.

~It took me a few days to collect this much and, though I hate to admit it, I can't dig any further from just glancing at her. What are you hiding Hikari? What's your secret and why do you seem so freaking familiar?~

She had turned away while I was thinking but I didn't notice until Sakura's voice brought me back. "She's probably trying to pull something Sasuke," she whispered in concern, but only concern for her own desires. Me being one of them. I looked straight forward again, attempting to ignore her persistent attempts at trying to prove that she's not an idiot. "There has to be a catch, she's just trying to trick us."

I restrained from rolling my eyes at her statement. ~_No…_. By telling Kakashi tat we "helped out" and "planned" shows that we used _teamwork. _It would help _a lot._~

When I didn't answer, she just looked back forward and glared at Hikari evilly. We reached the starting mark soon after and Kakashi stood against one of the tall logs. His book was in his hands but he put it down when we walked to him.

He seemed to grin underneath his mask and he waved to us when we were only a few feet away. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. ~What a moron.~ "Hey guys!" He greeted in his all-to-bored manner. Hikari stopped and I stopped beside her with Sakura at my side and Naruto on her other side. "So…who has the bells?"

I held up my bell by the end of the string and put on a convincing smirk, acting the part of getting it myself. Naruto clutched it tightly between all of his fingers and flashed his grin while Sakura held hers up proudly. Those two looked convincing enough. Hikari shrugged as she clasped her hands behind her back.

"I don't have one Kakashi-sensei," she answered as she looked up to him with big eyes. I stared at her for a moment. ~Great! Now she's an actress! And a good one at that…~

Kakashi looked slightly startled but nodded seriously and stood from the log. He walked towards us and reached out to Hikari. "You do realize what this means, right? He asked, disbelief in his voice. She nodded confidently, all fake sadness gone. Kakashi shrugged before grasping Hikari's wrist firmly as he led her to the log he was previously near.

I watched them walk towards the logs with a frown on my face. Why I was frowning, I was not entirely sure. Maybe it was the fact that I had not gotten the bell myself that upset me. Maybe it was because I couldn't figure out the key to this whole test without multiple hints. But the one thing I _knew_ was not the reason was feeling sorry for Hikari.

~She's not the one who's making me upset. It was her own stupid decision. I didn't _ask _for help from anyone! I don't_ need_ help from anyone! Especially from some annoying, arrogant, girl!~ I felt somewhat of a throbbing pain in my gut. Deep down, I really felt guilty. WHY?!

I clenched my fists angrily and glared at my feet in confusion towards my feelings. Sakura noticed my sudden change and she frowned as she looked at me. I looked back to her and her eyes asked, What's wrong?

I calmed instantly and stuffed my hands in my pockets as I scoffed and looked away. She let out an annoyed moan at my behavior and folded her arms over her chest. I glimpsed Kakashi finishing his rope work around Hikari. I didn't notice him make a hand sign before waving us over though. We obeyed without question.

Hikari kept her gaze steady as we sat down on either side of the log in the grass. I was closest to her on the right, Naruto was on her left, and Sakura was next to Naruto. Kakashi stood a few yards in front of us and looked lazy and bored. I looked back to the ground and propped up my right leg to lay my arm on my knee while the other laid on my extended left leg.

"Well…" he began lazily. "Surprisingly, three of you did in fact get a bell and you somehow planned out a trap without me noticing." He closed his eyes and smiled. "Care to explain?"

"We were all here early," Hikari began after a moment's hesitation. Kakashi looked to her. "Naruto made the comment that you spend most of your time reading your book and that you are slightly obsessed with it." Naruto nodded after Sakura poked him in the side to remind him to do so. "Then, Sakura recommended that we work together to catch you off guard." Sakura smiled proudly then Hikari continued. "And Sasuke-." She glanced my way as did Kakashi. "-Suggested that I be the "bait" or something like that because, out of the three of us, I'm probably the person that would be less likely listened to because they haven't known me long." I smirked and looked away. My normal reaction to most things should suffice. "And-." She began. I looked back to her in apathy. ~What else does she need to explain?~ "That fight with Sakura earlier was a set up to further your belief that we couldn't work together. After all-." She glanced to me again and smiled slightly. "The main point of this exercise is-."

"Teamwork," I whispered to her before she said it out loud. She grinned a little more after hearing me, which didn't make sense. ~She's happy that I won?~

Kakashi seemed to grin beneath his mask. He was about to speak when a presence entered the area, right behind Hikari.

"Hikari…" the voice began lowly. "Why are you tied to a log?" I turned quickly to look to the voice, as did Naruto and Sakura. ~Icatai Hayate… why is _he _here?~ Icatai stood impassively as he looked down to Hikari with emotionless eyes. His coal colored hair hung in spikes above his shoulders and a white cloth was worn where a headband would normally be. He clutched black fabric in his hands. The side of a white mask was visible on top.

"Hey, Icatai," Hikari greeted in a slightly nervous voice. She kept looking forward because she couldn't turn to face him. "I…um sort of lost so this is my punishment. That and…" She paused for a second before continuing a softer and looking to the ground. "I have to attend the Academy for a year."

Hikari's Pov

"I have to go to the Academy for a year." I wasn't positive on how Itachi would react so I stayed alert for everything. I heard some sort of low rumble sounding noise come from him and that usually meant he was upset. He walked in between Sasuke and I, his powerful aura radiating in the atmosphere, showing his position as the strongest of the 6 of us. He carried a black bundle in his hands and a white mask on top, though I only glimpsed it as he walked passed.

"I apologize for interrupting," he began in apathy but it was sincere none the less. "I was merely going to evaluate her progress…" He glanced to me for a moment when he came to a stop at Kakashi's side. The top of his head was aligned with Kakashi's eye level, making him about 2 or 3 inches shorter. "It seems that she has failed. I was not expecting this. Hikari, explain. _Now."_

I restrained form cringing at his low, dark, and demanding voice. I drummed my fingers against the log as I looked at his full figure seriously. He lightly tapped the cloths with the fingers on his right hand. Ring finger, middle finger, index, ring, middle, middle, repeat… I sighed in relief mentally. ~That's the pattern for the "go with it" code. He's not really angry.~

"Okay…" I took a swift breath and reiterated what I had just explained to Kakashi but quicker. "And I know you're very upset and I'm really sorry. I failed you and I deserve to be punished." I looked at him confidently, awaiting the consequences. I gazed into his eyes seriously and time seemed to stand still as my teammates also seemed to await his response.

A flicker of something passed through his eyes but it was gone before I could get a good look. ~Was that…amusement? That jerk… I hate him! What's he going to make me do? And…why isn't he angry?~ I slapped myself mentally. ~He took this test before…so that means -.~ Kakashi cut off my thoughts as he spoke.

"That won't be necessary," he said, scratching the back of his head as he smiled. We all looked to him questionably except for Itachi. He glared at him, implying that I was _his _responsibility and that he would punish me and Kakashi could do nothing to stop him. "Not that I'm judging your punishments incorrectly or anything, but punishment won't by necessary because…" He looked to me and smiled widely. "She passes."

My eyes as well as my three teammates widened at his statement. "Wh-What?" I stuttered, to further the act of course. "What are you talking about?"

"You demonstrated teamwork to every one of your comrades and you attempted to plan out something successfully that included all four of you participating. Unfortunately… I saw right through your scheme."

I gasped inaudibly. ~Shoot…~

"You made three shadow clones and transformed them into your teammates and then you gave them the exact same chakra as the originals. Buy, during one second of time, your chakra level dropped before sustaining back to normal. I was able to notice during that time frame. Also," He pointed to Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto. "Those three were close enough so I could sense them. Those were your only flaws during our fight. But _you _three." He smiled to them lightly. "Don't have to go back to the Academy." I smiled and looked at all of them. ~Phew… I was worried for a moment.~

"We pass?" Sakura asked with slight confusion.

"Yeah!" Naruto exclaimed as he jumped up happily. "It means the 3 of us-."

"Are hopeless!" Kakashi finished. Naruto instantly stopped jumping in excitement. "More schooling would be pointless. The three of you will never be shinobi!" All four sets of our eyes either narrowed or widened in surprise as the words left his mouth. I glanced to Itachi and his expression faltered a bit. "You should all give up. You three are not fit to be called ninja!"

~This is exactly what I _didn't _want! Itachi! I thought you said everything would be fine!~ "Give up!" Naruto exclaimed. "So what if we didn't get a stupid bell on our own! That's no reason to give up!"

"You three should all give up," He paused for a moment and his face darkened. "None of you has what it takes."

Sasuke glared angrily before running at Kakashi with death in his eyes. "Sasuke!" Sakura and I exclaimed, me with slight worry and Sakura with a lot of it.

Kakashi quickly grabbed his wrist, twisted it behind his back and pushed him face first into the ground. Sasuke cried out slightly as he made impact. Kakashi proceeded to kneel over him, one foot pressed against his head and his hand keeping Sasuke's arm behind his back.

I gasped slightly and looked to see Itachi's reaction. He seemed to have stepped back and his fingers clutched the fabric a little tighter at the fast movement. He looked on with the same apathetic look as normal.

"Hey!" Sakura exclaimed angrily. "Don't step on Sasuke! Get off him!" I felt my hands clench slightly when Kakashi turned his dark gaze to us.

"Are you trying to make fun of the shinobi way with your behaviors? Well, are you?" Kakashi glared seriously and Sakura as well as Naruto tensed up. "You already know that teamwork is the answer to this test. But while you were taking it, did you ever stop for a minute and think about it?"

He paused for a minute to look at all of us.

"If you all four would have come at me like Hikari had planned then you would have had a higher chance of getting the bells fairly. _Instead,_ each of you planned out something different, not even thinking of each other."

He looked at Naruto seriously. "You Naruto willing to cooperated with Hikari first when you tried out your idea." Naruto grinned with slight arrogance at his accomplishment. "But, when _she _came up with an ideal plan, you completely ignored her and went on to find me yourself instead of helping."

He looked to Sakura next. "Sakura." She tensed. "All you could think about was Sasuke, even when Hikari suggested teaming up with him as well. All you could do was ridicule her idea and flat out ignore her orders, even after she broke you out of that Genjutsu. You completely declined going to find Naruto and instead came straight to where Sasuke was when you knew that she was heading out to find him."

"He looked down to Sasuke. "And _you_ Sasuke." Sasuke stayed perfectly still and clenched his teeth. "Declined working as a team several times, thinking that you could get a bell on your own and that the others were beneath you. Even Hikari when she's had two more years of experience than all of you! I don't blame her for scolding you both! It was infuriating just to watch the two of you refuse because of some childish obsessions!"

"Wait a minute!" Sakura interrupted. We all looked at her as she stood up. "How could we have worked together! There were three bells and four of us! Someone would have to-."

"-Go back to the Academy no matter what," Kakashi finished. He nodded to me. "It seems that Hikari wasn't thinking of herself when she gave you those bells and look where unselfishness has brought her."

Sakura flushed and sat back down, defeated and most likely embarrassed. ~She probably hates me even more now and I didn't even say anything…~

He looked back up to the three of us by the log. "Making a play as an individual is bad for the team and it exposes your comrades to unnecessary danger," he exclaimed, seeming to calm down slightly. "You might as well kill them yourselves…here's an example…" Maybe not.

Kakashi pulled a kunai out of his pouch, took his foot off of Sasuke and instead, placed his arm over his neck where the kunai met the skin of his throat. Sasuke could not move or he'd risk getting beheaded.

"Sakura! Naruto! Kill Hikari now or Sasuke dies!" He brought the kunai closer to Sasuke's neck. "And if Icatai takes one step in any direction then he will also die!" My eyes widened in fake disbelief. I knew that these kind of things happened in the ninja world. I'd seen it many times before. Each time more painful than the last…

Naruto and Sakura jumped up with horrified faces. "What!" They both exclaimed. I glanced up to Itachi and saw him gazing at me seriously. If this was a real situation, who would he really chose to save? His brother or me? I really didn't know and I didn't really want to, to be honest.

Kakashi's serious face didn't waver but he did step off of Sasuke and move. He walked up to a monument as Sasuke sat up and wiped his mouth. "The day could come…when one of you may be taken hostage and you're forced to make a choice. When you are on a mission, your lives will always be on the line."

He stopped in front of the monument behind us. I couldn't turn around, so I listened intently. Sasuke came up and stood beside me as he faced Kakashi partially and me partially. I guessed that he wanted to keep an eye on Itachi for some reason. He couldn't have caught on. Not even I could sense his real presence without my Sharingan activated at full power. It would be impossible for him.

"Look at the monument…all the names carved in the stone. Heroes of our village. Ninja."

Naruto interrupted loudly. "That's it! I just made up my mind!" He exclaimed excitedly. I wanted to pummel him for interrupting. What Kakashi was saying sounded serious. "That's where I want my name to go! I want to be like them! A hero!"

"Ahem," Kakashi politely interrupted, still with the serious demeanor. "…But the ones listed her aren't just any heroes…"

Naruto interrupted again. "Really?! What kind of heroes are they?!"

Kakashi didn't speak and I sensed that he was feeling down. "Naruto…" I whispered to him to try and get him to stop talking. Now was not the time for outbursts.

He didn't listen. "Come on! Come on! Tell me!

"The dead kind. They died in the line of duty." I gasped soundlessly and my eyes saddened. I could only imagine how Naruto felt about being excited about the memorial.

Sakura and Sasuke's eyes also softened and diverted from Kakashi.

I looked up to Itachi after a moment and saw him looking to Kakashi with an unchanged expression. ~That means…some of Itachi's family and friends are written on that stone… Does he not care?~

"…Pay attention…!" Kakashi partially exclaimed. All their eyes rose back up to look at him. "I'm giving you all one last chance. Hikari." I listened for him to continue. "I'll allow you to help them on one condition." He paused for a moment before continuing seriously. "You will be stripped of your definite spot of making Genin if you agree."

I hesitated for a moment before answering, not even gazing up to see what Itachi wanted me to say. I knew what I had to do. "Of course, sensei," I replied with a smile, even though he couldn't see it. "I'd be glad to help."

Sakura and Naruto looked at me with disbelief, surprised that I would even think of giving up my position. Sasuke looked at me suspiciously as if thinking that I was scheming something. Itachi was probably furious inside because of my action that could and would definitely destroy the whole mission if I were to fail.

I didn't really have a choice in the matter though, at least that's the way I saw it. If I didn't help then I would express selfishness to my teammates and to Kakashi. That really wasn't the reason that I accepted though. I really just wanted Naruto and Sasuke to pass. I was not about to watch my teammate's dreams be crushed.

"This test… will be far more difficult than our last little game with the bells." ~Great. The other test was at an easy level. I may actually have to try for this one…~ "If you're prepared to continue, eat from one of the bento boxes. But," he looked back to us I guessed. "Don't give one to Hikari."

~Also great! I haven't eaten in over twelve hours! I won't be at my best! Though I doubt I'd need to be for this test…~ I opened my eyes in slight shock anyways to act surprised.

"Why?" Naruto asked with confusion.

"Judging by the look that Icatai gave Hikari," he began as he stepped down the stairs. Itachi looked to him to acknowledge that he knew he was being talked about. "He was disappointed in her performance. One possibility of his disappointment can be based upon the fact that she hasn't eaten in 12 hours or more. You won't be able to rely completely on her abilities during the test because of this. She will not be at her best."

I grinned in slight embarrassment when all eyes turned to me, including Itachi's. He looked slightly irritated.

"If any of you feed her, you fail the test right here and now," Kakashi explained. "My word is law. Do you understand?" They all nodded and Kakashi disappeared in a gust of wind.

Itachi approached me right after while the three of them went to get their bento boxes. He stopped right in front of me and glared lightly. His eyes were cold and menacing. Just looking into them made me shiver inside. He tucked his bundle underneath his arm before he spoke.

"You didn't eat the apple I gave you this morning," he stated coldly. "Why?"

"He…he...," I laughed nervously. "Well, you see…" I gazed over my shoulder the best I could, indicating my three comrades. He got the point.

"You gave all your food to those three and ate nothing. Did you even think of the consequences for doing that? I gave you that apple for a reason. It wasn't meant to be given away."

"I just wanted to help them out," I explained as I looked at him challengingly.

"And look where you ended up," he interrupted with a small smirk. He leaned down until we were face-to-face. "Tied to a post with three jealous ninjas surrounding you, no food to raise your stamina, _and _ you have to pass a test that you didn't even have to take thanks to them. That seems like a fine trade in my eyes." I glared up to him and he kept his serious look in place, never once faltering.

"Look," I whispered to him. "I know this could jeopardize everything, but…" I diverted my eyes from his for a moment.

"You care too much for those two." He whispered back softly, venom hanging on each word. He stood up straight as I looked back up to him with narrowed eyes. He spoke normal volume now. "If you were to fail this test…we would have to leave this village."

"That's why we're not going to fail!" Itachi and I both turned to find Naruto a few feet away with Sakura and Sasuke behind him. They all carried bento boxes. Naruto had a confident face on while Sakura was blushing slightly at Itachi. Sasuke looked away from everyone so I couldn't see his face. I guessed that it held disgust at his performance but I couldn't be sure.

"Y-Yeah," Sakura stuttered. "We're all going to pass." She scuffed her feet against the ground and looked down to avoid Itachi's penetrating gaze. "I'll make sure Hikari passes for you, sir."

~_Sir_? HAHAHA! She doesn't even like me and she's flirting with Itachi!~ I gazed over to him and just saw him nod in acknowledgement, most likely not realizing how much impact that small nod had on her heart.

"Hn." That was all Sasuke could say and he still didn't look to us. Itachi didn't even glance to him. He looked back to me.

"I'll inspect you from afar. Don't let anything or _anyone _get in your way." He made a hand sign and disappeared. ~That was an unnecessary statement Itachi. You've probably made them even more terrified of you now. We're never going to get anywhere if you don't change characters for a while.~

I let out a sigh and looked at my comrades. Naruto and Sakura's eyes widened at his statement of "anyone". Sasuke clenched his fist that wasn't holding the bento box.

"I'm sorry about that," I apologized. Naruto and Sakura's eyes returned to normal as they listened. "He's……not good around new people. He has trouble trusting others, especially when it comes to me." I looked up at the clouds. "The best thing to do is to pass this test and you'll gain his trust gradually from then. So don't take what he says to heart."

Sasuke was the first to react and all he did was move to the spot he was at previously and sit down. Naruto and Sakura did the same right after. Naruto smiled widely once he opened the box. Rice, sushi, and noodles were packed in.

"Yeah!" he exclaimed, completely forgetting about Itachi, and also lifting the tense atmosphere. I was eternally grateful for that. All three of them began to eat and I just continued standing there, gazing up at the clouds.

I wasn't hungry until all the smells reached my nose. Spicy barbeque pork, warm white rice, and juicy sushi scents made my mouth water. My stomach growled loudly. I was positive that everyone heard it.

"Sorry," I laughed. "I guess I should have eaten before." I patted my stomach as much as I could without rubbing my arms on the rope. "Don't worry though. I'll be alright." My stomach growled louder and I sighed while dropping my chin to my chest. "I'll try to not slow you all down."

I didn't see Sasuke stop eating until the smell became more intense. I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw a piece of sushi in between two chopsticks. I looked at Sasuke, who was standing up by me now, with my mouth slightly open in shock.

"Here, eat this," he ordered.

"What?" I asked in surprise. "But Sas-."

"Don't argue with me and just eat it loser."

"Bu-but Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei told us-," Sakura began but was cut off.

"I'm not worried," he interrupted as he moved the food closer to me. "He's probably miles away by now and we'll all need our strength if we're going to work together to get those bells." He looked up to me. "You're completely useless to me if you're just going to be a burden."

I looked at him with gratitude. He was willing to help me, even if it risked him passing. It would all benefit him in the end anyway so I doubted that he truly cared but at least he saw this as a problem that he could solve. I brightened instantly as an idea came to my head. This was what Kakashi wanted. I was sure of it. All I had to do was push it a little further and we were home free.

"I ca-can't Sasuke," I said as I turned my head, a sad expression resting on my face. "I can't risk making you failing. I-."

"Didn't you just hear me?!" he exclaimed, grabbing my chin firmly and turning my head back to him. "I don't care! And I don't want a worthless teammate! I'll force you to eat if I have to!"

He put the sushi in my mouth and clamped it shut with his one hand, preventing me from spitting it out. Perfect… I chewed it gratefully before swallowing.

"Thank you…" I smiled when he let me go. Before I knew it, two more pieces of sushi were put in front of me. I turned around and saw Sakura and Naruto offering it up. All was going to plan. "Guys…"

"We're friends Hikari!" Naruto exclaimed. "No one gets left behind!"

"That's right!" Sakura exclaimed as well.

I grinned happily. "You guys are amazing. You'd willing risk yourselves for me. Thank you both."

"Don't get used to it," Sasuke said as he took a bite of his rice. "Just consider it a repayment from earlier." He was referring to the apples and waters I guessed and I nodded.

"You got it!" I was about to take the sushi into my mouth when a huge burst of wind interrupted me. Suddenly, Kakashi appeared in front of us with a deadly look on his face.

"YOU!" He exclaimed.

Naruto and Sakura screamed and dropped their chopsticks. Sasuke and I looked up at him with horror struck faces. Mine was only an act but it worked none the less.

"…Pass!" He said with a wide grin.

"Huh?" Sakura murmured.

"What…?! Naruto half exclaimed.

Sasuke and I stared up at him silently.

"We pass?" Sakura asked. "But why?"

"You three have taken a giant step forward." Sakura and Naruto gave him a questioning look so he continued. "Up until now, the three of you have done everything that I've told you. Never thinking for yourselves…like mindless puppets…"

He paused and looked down at the sushi that now littered the ground. He looked back up at us and began to speak again seriously.

"A true shinobi seeks the hidden meanings within hidden meanings. In a ninja's world, those who violate the rules and fail to follow them are trash…" He looked to Sasuke, Sakura, and then to Naruto. "However…those who do not care for and support their comrades…are lower than trash."

I grinned widely and I could see the smiles appear on my _friend's _faces. ~Kakashi…I've just come to respect you. You really are a great man. I'm honored to have you as my sensei…~

He gave us a thumbs up. "The exercise is now concluded. You all pass! That's all for today, Team Seven. Your duties will commence tomorrow!"

"I…I did it!" Naruto exclaimed. I'M A NINJA!" He jumped up and down happily and Sakura pumped her fists in the air in the same manner. All Sasuke did was smirk but I could tell that he was very excited.

"Let's go home," Kakashi said as he turned around and began to walk away. Naruto and Sakura ran after him happily. Sasuke slipped a piece of paper into my weapon's pouch before following them. Itachi appeared a few yards away and Sasuke was forced to pass him. They both seemed to glare challengingly at each other when he walked by. Sasuke soon turned back forward and walked on, Itachi watching him for a few seconds before coming up to me again.


	16. Chapter 16: Itachi's Mission & Fangirls

Itachi's Mission and the Fangirls

Hikari's Pov

"They just left you tied up?" he asked with a slight grin. "Some comrades. I can't believe that you'd sacrifice yourself for those fools."

"Two of those _fools_ just so happen to be my friends," I responded, sticking my nose in the air in a playfully snob manner. "_And_…I like Kakashi. He may be a lazy guy sometimes but he has a good heart. I can see why you respect him."

Itachi stiffened ever so slightly at my accusation but I failed to notice because his face remained the same. "Hn" was his response.

He lifted the mask form his pile of clothing and showed it to me. It was a white tiger mask with crimson red stripes on its cheeks. A vertical black line was painted in the center of each red stripe. It actually reminded me slightly of him. Strong and courageous like a lion, while crimson and black from all the blood shed and darkness. I quivered slightly. ~Nice analogy.~

"They asked you to join Anbu?" I asked as I looked at the mask then to his new clothes. He nodded and looked at the mask apathetically. "Brings back old memories, huh?" My voice was a whisper.

He put the mask back on the pile before speaking. "I have a mission and I was told to leave after notifying you. It's supposedly a test to see if I'm worthy of being in the Anbu."

"Are you going alone?" He nodded again. I tried to move but remembered the ropes. "Be careful, 'k?" He looked at me strangely, wondering why I was worried about him, Itachi Uchiha, being harmed. "You can't use your "eyes" and I've never seen you fight seriously without them. _That's _why I'm kind of worried."

His lips twitched slightly before pulling into a slight grin. "I may not be used to using my normal eyes in battle, but rest assured, I can defeat any potential threat without them." He turned to walk away but stopped abruptly as if noticing something. "It seems that you lost your bet Hikari. What happens now?"

~Darn it! I forgot about the conditions! I have to…~ I sighed. "I am now your brother's servant for a week and I cannot prank or insult him for the same period of time." Itachi smirked out of my vision.

"I hope you enjoy your week," he said with a slight chuckle. He continued his walk. "I'll be back in roughly three days. Keep out of trouble." I nodded before realizing something. He left me tied up too.

"Hey!" I yelled after him. "Come back and untie me, or cut the ropes, or something!" He didn't seem to hear me but I knew he was just ignoring my outburst.

Kakashi had made a hand sign out of everyone's vision and the ropes became enforced with chakra, making them impossible to cut through with a normal blade. The only way to get free was to untie the ropes, use a special blade, or teleport out with an extremely high ranked jutsu. ~Stupid Uchiha! He knows I can't get free without a struggle!~ I struggled a little but it was no use. ~Geeze Kakashi. Did you have to do this to me and why so tight?!~

I reached for my weapon's pouch but only succeeded in flipping the top open. The special kunai I needed was on top an inch out of my reach. I groaned in frustration as it seemed to be getting further away.

After a few minutes, I finally grasped the handle of the knife and grinned in triumph. The kunai I had pulled out was the one I held when I woke up in that forest so many years ago. The length was still prickled all around and the rose designs shined in the sunlight. After a few years of fighting with it, Pein and I discovered that the blade could cut through chakra and devour it in the process. Each new piece of chakra it absorbs makes it more powerful. It can now shoot sharp, slicing beams a few feet out that can cut through any substance, including this rope.

I flipped it so the point faced up with a flick of my wrist. "Yeah!" I jumped at the noise, having been totally distracted when reaching for the kunai. Some ninja I was at the moment. The kunai fell out of my hand and landed a few feet away on the grass.

~What the heck?! Who just yelled for no reason?!~ I sensed three small presences entering the clearing at my right so I looked over.

They were all little kids, from the Academy by the looks of it. The "leader" of the three was a boy with short brown hair who wore a cap on top of his head. A long blue scarf hung around his neck. The one to his left was a girl with reddish-orange pigtails on top of her head and pink tinted cheeks. The kid on his right was another brown haired boy with glasses.

The scarf boy, I guess, was the one who had yelled because he wore a confident yet smug look on his face. He carried a shuriken in his hand and he was about to throw it blindly……right at the log I was tied to…

"Konohamaru!" the girl exclaimed. The scarf boy must have been Konohamaru because he stopped his actions immediately. He looked at the girl confused. "There's a girl tied to the log you were about to throw a shuriken at!"

He looked up at me for a second before frowning and crossing his arms. I watched him, waiting for a response. "That's not a girl," he said cockily with a smirk. "That's just boss using his Sexy-No-Jutsu! Right boss!" Not what I was expecting.

"Excuse me?" I asked loudly. ~Did that kid just call me……sexy?! And what's that jutsu he said. I've never heard of it!~ I was really confused and I didn't know who this "boss" guy was.

"It's not going to work this time boss!" he exclaimed as he waved his finger at me. "I'm too smart for that old trick but, why are you tied to a stump? Did ya loose a bet or something?"

I didn't answer for a second; thinking about how I should handle this situation. The girl seemed to notice my situation. "Umm…I don't think that's Naruto.

My eyes widened in realization and I smiled, but then frowned after I replayed what jutsu he had just said. Sexy-No-Jutsu. ~The jutsu Naruto used on Iruka. This kid… thinks I'm the girl that Naruto turns into!~ I scowled slightly and unnoticeably. ~Great. A little kid is flirting with me without even knowing it!~

"Of course it is Moegi! She looks like Naruto's transformation, except she has clothes on." He said that so bluntly and I felt a tremor form on my head. ~This kid……has no manners what so ever and he's perverted on top of that! _And _Naruto's his "boss".~

I cleared my throat and the three looked at me and I smiled back. "Hey guys," I greeted in a friendly voice. "My name is Hikari. I'm new to this village. It's nice to meet you."

The scarf boy laughed as if I had made a joke before turning around. I raised an eyebrow at him and he pointed an accusing finger at me. "Prove it lady!" he exclaimed. The other two looked at each other then back to him. ~Maybe the distance is altering his vision…~

"Okay," I replied. "Come over here." I flipped my hand weakly as an attempt to wave them over. They did so and I mentally sighed again. ~Hopefully they'll cut these ropes for me or I'm going to have to wait a while longer or use that high ranked jutsu to escape. These choices are not in my favor at the moment.~ They stopped a few feet in front of me and the Moegi girl frowned slightly.

"Her hair is shorter, her eyes are brown, and her face has sharper angles," she explained, trying to help me out. "And she's a lot prettier." I smiled slightly to her and she looked embarrassed.

"But Naruto could have changed that to fool us," the other boy spoke. I almost glared at the boy. His accusation made sense. Konohamaru nodded with his smirk still plastered on his face.

"Even if I was Naruto," I began. "Why would it matter? You'd untie him, right?" When Konohamaru answered I frowned.

"Yeah! After he agreed to let me become the 5th Hokage!"

"You're not a very nice kid…" I mumbled as I looked away for a moment. He didn't hear me so I decided to say something else. "If I prove to you that I'm not Naruto then you have to cut these rope, deal?" The girl nodded and Konohamaru followed suit.

"Alright lady," he agreed. "Show me proof and we'll help you." I nodded. I looked to the pouch on my leg. ~Sasuke's letter…please let my name be in it…~

"There's a letter in my pouch. It's from Sasuke. It should have my name in it." I tried to reach for it but was yet again unable to reach. Moegi asked to help and I let her. She pulled out the paper and unfolded it before reading it out loud.

"Be at the Uchiha complex before dawn tomorrow. I'll assign everything to you then. Do not be late Hikari." She paused to look at the signature at the bottom. "Uchiha Sasuke" I grinned and cheered in my head. ~Finally! This kid is stubborn! But I couldn't just yell at him. I'm supposed to be building up relationships not destroy them.~

"There's your proof. Now please untie me and I'll be on my way." Konohamaru sulked and let out a groan before picking up my special kunai and gripping it tightly. He yelped and dropped it soon after.

"What the heck?! He exclaimed as he looked down to his hand. Small red dots of blood appeared on his there. "The kunai is sharp on the sides too!"

"You have to be careful with unknown weapons," I explained as I looked down to him. "Don't grip that blade harshly or you'll be injured." He cursed under his breath before picking up the kunai, gently this time, and placing it against the ropes. Without even applying pressure, the knife began to slide through as it detected the chakra filled substance.

The three kid's eyes widened at this and I was released seconds later. Once the ropes fell, I stepped forward and shook myself to gain back any lost composure.

"H-How did that h-happen?" Moegi stuttered as I took another step towards them. Konohamaru looked down at the kunai in awe.

"Some weapons can devour chakra," I explained as I reached for my blade. "Weapons in this world are mysterious and unknown. Mine just so happens to be a rare combination of the two." He handed the kunai over somewhat hesitantly but dropped it my hand after a second. I thought it better to be honest with everything I could in an attempt to balance out all the lies I would be forced to tell in the future.

"Some ninja I am." I looked back to Konohamaru after placing the knife in my pouch. He looked sad and angry. "I can't even tell one person from another!" He clenched his fist and looked at the ground. He may have been a pest…but he was just a kid.

I crouched down to his eye level before tilting his chin so he had to look at me. He tensed up at my touch and looked into my eyes questionably. "Don't put it that way." He looked somewhat confused so I continued. "It took me months to perfect noticing people just from their chakra presence and I am a very fast learner. You don't need to think of yourself as being a failure. It's difficult to master this skill, even for a Jounin."

I noticed my sentence flaw immediately. Difficult for a Jounin. I kept myself from flinching at my error and moved my other hand quickly to reach into my weapon pouch and pull out a roll of bandages and some ointment. I proceeded to speak as well so he didn't catch on to what I was doing.

I let go of his chin and he looked to what I was holding. He flushed slightly in embarrassment as he saw this. I grasped his hand gently and he looked back to me.

"Let me wrap this for you." I squeezed the ointment onto his hand and rubbed it in gently. He flinched slightly in pain but didn't say anything. I continued to rub it in, careful not to make it sting anymore than it did. He finally spoke after a moment.

"You know lady," he began his voice sincere. I looked into his eyes and stopped what I was doing for a moment. He grinned and closed his eyes. "You're not so bad!" I smiled then finished up with the ointment.

"Neither are you Konohamaru," I replied happily. I wrapped the bandages around and tied it off firmly before standing up. I messed with the part of his hair that was showing. "Just fix your first impressions and you'll be friends with everybody. I guarantee it. Then you'll be on your way to becoming Hokage."

He smiled up at me brightly and I returned it. I stopped messing up his hair and dropped the ointment into his hand.

"Apply that and a wrap a fresh set of bandages on in a few hours. You'll be good to go in no time." I turned away and began to walk off. I waved over my shoulder. "Take care you guys! I'll see you around sometime!"

I heard them yell their goodbyes and I smirked. ~That's three more people I can add to my "friend" list. This mission is almost easy so far.~

I pulled the note out again and read it over. I groaned slightly and folded the letter back up as I reached the village. It was busy at his time so I guessed it was around one. I shifted through the residents with ease as I made my way to the restaurant district.

A single stand stood out and I instantly remembered it. Naruto and I went there once late at night to avoid anyone else who may have wanted to eat there. He didn't like to wait for his food and I didn't want to reveal to him that I was "hiding" in the village so that worked out for both of us.

"Thank you, sir," I said happily as I was handed a bowl of ramen. Chicken flavored, my absolute favorite.

"You're welcome young lady." He turned back around and continued to cook the noodles.

I smelled the ramen and sighed happily. I broke the chopsticks apart and licked my lips. I was about to savor my first bite when I was interrupted.

"Hikari!" High-pitched voices exclaimed. I immediately felt dozens of auras around me of all shapes and sizes. ~Oh no. What would a bunch of girls want with me? There is only one thing that I could know about more than them. One _person _actually…~ I calmly set my chopsticks down before pushing my bowl of ramen away from me. I turned around slowly with a fake smile plastered on my face. I was met with dozens of girls of all ages and found that they surrounded me. I crossed my legs and looked around until my eyes came upon a familiar face.

"Do you need something ladies?" I asked while keeping my eyes on my pink haired teammate. Suddenly, all the girls began squealing and talking, shouting out questions in every direction. I flinched at the volume but otherwise didn't move.

"QUIET!" Sakura and another girl exclaimed. I recognized her from class. She had blonde hair in a high ponytail and blue eyes. Her ninja clothes were mostly purple with bandages wrapped in some places.

"Um…" she began as she sorted through her thoughts. "All of us were wondering…"

"Yes?" I urged. I really wanted to get back to my food.

"CouldyoutellusaboutIcataiHayate?!" She exclaimed quickly. I barely caught it and the girls began to squeal again. I smiled, though it was definitely a smirk on the inside.. ~They want to know about Itachi Uchiha…this is too good to pass up!~

"Well…" I began and the girls became silent. "He is 17 years old and he just became an Anbu of the Leaf."

"An Anbu!" Some of them shrieked. "He's so strong!"

"Back off!" Some others exclaimed. "He's mine!" They began to argue and I cleared my throat to get their attention. The faster I explained, the faster I got back to my food and out of this mess.

"Anyways… He likes……" ~Hope he's in a good mood when he comes back.~ "Pink." All the girls looked at me like I was crazy. "I'm serious!" I smiled happily. "Hot pink roses and those giant stuffed animals at the store! The bigger the better!" They still didn't look like they believed me. "I know…" I said as I rolled my eyes. "It's a shocker huh? He just hides his soft, sensitive self. Oh! He's also a big fan of those cherry filled chocolates too!" ~At least that's true…Maybe he'll get enough of those to cancel out everything else…~ "Is that enough?" They nodded quickly and smiled widely. "Good. He'll be back in the village in three days. Just put anything you want to give him on the entrance patio and he'll find it."

They all grinned wider and scattered. "Thanks Hikari!" Sakura yelled as she ran off. I nodded with a smirk. ~Three days of Anbu work will hopefully calm him down…~ My smirk faded. ~Three _weeks_ of Akatsuki work couldn't even do that…I think I just planned my death.~

I chuckled to myself before turning back to my food. I pulled it back to me and picked up the chopsticks. The ramen was cold now and I frowned in annoyance. I picked up the bowl with one hand and let a weak fire jutsu appear. The noodles were warm again and I placed them down before taking a bite ~Finally…~

"That's a useful trick." I looked to my left and saw Shikamaru and another boy come up to sit by me. The boy was heavy set and he wore a hat with hair sticking out on top in two places.

Shikamaru flashed a lazy grin before ordering some miso ramen. The other boy ordered ten of them. "Hey Shikamaru," I greeted with a smile. I noticed that he still had a headband "You passed your test too? Congrats!"

"It's a drag though," he sighed. He rested his arms on the table and then his chin on top of them. "Now I'll have to do more work." I laughed and took another bite. ~You and me both.~

"It's not so bad Shika," I replied, giving him a nickname in the process. He didn't seem to care though. "You'll get used to it and you'll enjoy traveling."

"Yeah, yeah. Asuma-sensei already gave me the same lecture." He looked up to me from the corner of his eye. "Oh, right. This is Chouji. He's on my squad."

I looked to the forgotten ninja and he smiled widely. "Name's Chouji Akimichi. It's nice to meet ya." He put his hand out and I shook it.

"Likewise. I'm Hikari Phoenix. New official kunochi of the Leaf." We stopped shaking hands and the ramen arrived soon after.

"Alright! Food!" Chouji immediately chowed down and Shikamaru ate slowly. ~What a pair…At least they made it. I wonder who else passed. This could be a good opportunity to make more "friends".~

"Do you know who else passed?" I asked, finishing off my ramen. Shikamaru took a bite before answering.

"Are you going to congratulate them too or something?" I nodded. He sighed tiredly. "You'll probably want to know a little about them to, right?"

"That'd be nice." I took out a small notepad that I often used for details on missions.

He sighed in boredom. "Ino's on out team so she passed. She works at the Yamanaka flower shop. She's also one of those girls you just talked to. The one with the blonde hair in the purple clothes. By the way-." I stopped writing and looked back to him. "Does that man really like the color_ pink_?"

I smiled and feigned a shocked look. "You'd think I'd lie about that? I'm shocked to hear that from you Shikamaru!"

"I didn't think so," he said with a slight chuckle. "You realize that they're all going to kill you when they find out right?"

"Not if Icatai beats them to it…" I said with a slightly nervous grin.

"You're pretty brave to go up against a man like him. Even if he is _soft _and _sensitive_ in the inside."

I laughed at his sarcasm. I don't know how those girls fell for my lie. Any somewhat intelligent person would see right through it by just looking at Itachi.

"Anyways," he yawned after taking another bite. He went on to tell me about the other three members on the other passing squad. Shino Aburame who used insects in fights which seemed interesting. He was apparently quiet but not in a shy way. He just didn't talk.

Kiba Inuzuka was the next person. His sister was the head vet in town and his family had dogs fight alongside them. Shikamaru said that Kiba was loud and arrogant, kind of like Naruto but with some meanness to him. I nodded and awaited the last person.

Hinata Hyuga. ~A Hyuga is one of the graduates? Their reputation as one of the Leaf's strongest clans is still alive. Maybe she'll be some competition.~ Shikamaru described her as being nice but very shy. ~Must be from all the pressure she's put under by being a Hyuga.~

"That's the graduating class," he sighed as he finished his food. "Your squad's the only one left but you already know them. You're welcome." I closed the notepad.

"Thanks for the info Shika," I said happily. He waved it off and put his head back down. I reached into my weapon's pouch and pulled out my money bag. I pulled out enough money for thirty bowls and set it in front of him. "That _should _be enough to cover everything." I looked over to Chouji and saw that he was on his 20th bowl. Shikamaru grinned lazily and picked it up.

"Thanks, maybe you're not so troublesome."

I pushed him playfully and his grin only grew. "I'll see you both later." I laughed and waved. They both waved back and I began to walk away towards the closest house. ~Shikamaru is a really soothing person to be around. I think we're on the verge of becoming good friends.~


	17. Chapter 17: Meeting New People

Meeting New People

Hikari's Pov

I didn't want to draw attention to myself so I decided to be normal and walk for a change. I walked for about 30 minutes before making it to the district that Shino Aburame lived. I asked someone about him and they pointed down the street. A kid with a high collared coat and glasses walked down the street. I thanked the lady and ran down to him. ~Here goes nothing. I hope I don't make a fool of myself.

"Excuse me," I began as I walked up beside him. He kept walking but turned to acknowledge my presence. "I'm Hikari, the new girl from class. I just wanted to come and say congratulations for becoming a Genin. It's the first step in becoming stronger. I hope we can be friends."

~I probably sound like a loser, but I don't know what to say to him! I can't just go up and say "Hey Shino! You're awesome for becoming a Genin! Let's be friends!" I'd sound even worse!~

He didn't say anything so I took it as my cue to leave. "Shino Aburame." I turned back to him. "Pleasure to meet you…… and thanks for the compliment." I nodded and smiled before saying my goodbyes.

"Let's see…" I began as I pulled out my notepad. ~The next place is the Inuzuka residence. Kiba Inuzuka lives there and he has a dog as a companion. Supposedly arrogant and loud? Hmm… Sounds…interesting none the least.~

I walked for a long time. It was early evening by time I arrived at the district. I came upon a good sized building. A sign above it read 'Vet' so I guessed this was it.

"This must be the Inuzuka residence." I assumed.

"You'd be right." I turned to my right and saw a boy with spiky brown hair wearing a hooded jacket. A white dog was propped on his head. He came and stood beside me. He was about an inch shorter than me. "Do you have any business here, beautiful?"

I nodded, ignoring his statement. I looked down at my notepad. "I'm looking for a Kiba Inuzuka." I looked back up to him and saw his headband. "Would that be you?"

He flashed me a huge smile. "The one and only!" He announced with a mock bow. "Oh! And this is Akamaru." The dog barked in response and I patted its head. "You're the new girl, Hikari right?" I nodded and put my hand out.

"Hikari Phoenix. It's nice to meet you." I smiled when he took my hand and kissed the top of it in a formal fashion.

"The pleasure's all mine, beautiful." I smiled warmly at his compliment. I wasn't interested in this boy but I still wanted to be polite. He released my hand. "So, what do you need with me?"

"I actually came by to congratulate you on becoming a Genin," I explained. "It's exciting! I wanted to wish everyone luck!"

He smirked. "How thoughtful…But I don't need luck. Me and Akamaru can take anybody!" ~At least he's……confident.~ "Speaking of which," he began. "You're used to missions and things, right? You and that guy have gone on some before."

~News spreads fast here. I think everyone knows about Itachi and me by now.~ "Yeah," I said with a grin. "Icatai and I have traveled a lot and we've gone on many missions. I've personally not been on most of the missions that he's been on though." I scratched the back of my head. "S-Ranked missions are _a little _out of my league as a Genin."

He laughed at my sarcasm, believing me when I said that S-Ranked missions were beyond me. ~It should be illegal to be this good of a liar… it's not like I want to be one though…~ "Well I guess I'll be wishing you good luck then, beautiful!" he laughed happily.

"Thanks Kiba! I'll see you around!" I waved as did he before making my way to the next place. Ino Yamanaka's flower shop.

It was close to five when I arrived at the shop. The village was huge! I had traveled to three places at a moderate place and it took me nearly four hours! I guess I couldn't complain though. I had memorized every aspect of the areas that I had been through and even had a conversation with one of the Jounins that had passed by.

Was his name Might Guy? I don't know how I could forget what he looked like. He had an upside down bowl shaped hairstyle and his eye brows were bigger than normal to put it lightly. He wore a tight green suit and a green vest like Kakashi's. Overall,……he looked weird. But I couldn't underestimate him. If he was a Jounin then he had to be strong.

I opened the door to the shop and a bell rung. I looked to the counter and saw Ino standing there. When our eyes met she smiled brightly and waved me over. I complied and walked up to the counter.

"I never got to thank you for earlier!" She exclaimed happily as she pulled a light lavender flower from a vase. She wrapped it in white paper and handed it to me. I took it with a grateful look on my face. "Consider it a welcoming present!"

"Thanks!" I smiled. I was pretty much positive that the only reason she gave me this flower was to suck up to "Icatai's" closest companion. Oh well……at least I got a free beautiful flower! "By the way, I came here to congratulate you on becoming a Genin. You earned it!" Her smile brightened.

"Thank you! I appreciate you coming here to tell me. Good luck to you as well! I hope that Sakura doesn't give you trouble!" She leaned over the counter towards me with death in her eyes. "And keep her away from Sasuke for me," she whispered menacingly.

I smiled nervously. She really did look scary like that and it was beginning to creep me out. "I'll do my best," I chuckled. A woman called for Ino and she turned around to face the back door.

"I got to go!" she said as she began to walk away. "Take care Hikari!" She waved and called out my goodbyes as well.

I walked out the door and looked up to the sky. ~It's getting late… I'd better hurry to the Hyuga household.~ I walked towards the district quickly, holding my flower delicately in my hand. ~Maybe Hinata will like this…~ I smiled slightly, deciding to give it to her.

~I hate you so much right now Shikamaru!~ I was lost. He had given me the wrong directions to the Hyuga mansion and I had been going in circles for the past hour and a half. The sun was beginning to set and I was not happy.

I sat on a bench near a shop and looked down at my notepad. "Why is it so hard to find one freakin' mansion in this village?" I asked between clenched teeth.

"Umm…Excuse me? Are you lost?" I looked up and my eyes locked with chocolate brown ones. The girl who had spoken looked about my age and her brown hair was in two buns on top of her head. Two boys stood behind her. One of them had long brown hair that went down his back in a loose ponytail. His eyes were closed and his arms were crossed. He looked disinterested. The other boy looked just the opposite. He had hearts in his eyes and he stared at me intensely. He looked exactly like the Jounin I had met earlier, even the clothes!

"Yeah," I replied as I scratched the back of my head. "I'm new here. Just arrived around a week ago. My name is Hikari Phoenix. Who are you?" She smiled and put her hand out.

"Tenten," she answered politely. I took her hand and shook it. "I've heard a lot about you. I hope we can be friends."

"Of cour-." I was cut off by the black-haired boy who came and shook my other hand franticly. I looked up at him, kind of shocked by his actions.

"My name is Rock Lee!" He exclaimed, the hearts never leaving his hearts. "But you may call me Lee! The handsome devil of the Leaf Village! You must be a lost angel!" Tenten had let go of my hand and we both looked at him. Before I could speak he continued. "I must help you!" He pointed up to the sky as he announced this. "Where are you going?"

"The Hyuga residence," I replied after a moment, my eyes wide. The other boy finally seemed to respond. His eyes snapped open. They were clear white with a touch of lavender. A Hyuga.

"What is your business there?" he asked sharply, his voice icy. I couldn't answer him because I was immediately pulled to my feet.

"It's this way!" Lee exclaimed, running and dragging me with him down the street as he did so. He was quick on his feet and it would have been hard to keep up if I were a normal Genin. I looked back with pleading eyes at Tenten and the other boy. Tenten was scratching the back of her head with a nervous smile on her face. The Hyuga seemed to glare at me. ~What did I do to him?~

After about ten minutes of running, Lee stopped at a huge manner. "Here we are angel!" he exclaimed as he stopped. "Do you need anything else?" He stared at me intently, waiting for an answer.

"N-No thanks," I stuttered as I leaned away from him slightly. I removed my hand from his grasp and began to walk up to the entrance. "Thank you Lee. I'll see you around."

"Good bye my lost angel! I will see you soon!" He ran off soon after and I smiled nervously. ~I guess the Leaf Village has its share of odd people too.~

I approached the door and knocked on it twice. It was pulled open slightly by an older man. I smiled up at him. "Hello," I began politely. "My name is Hikari Phoenix. I'm a classmate of Hinata's. I was wondering if I could see her for a few minutes."

The man nodded and smiled as he opened the door fully and let me come in. I stepped onto a mat. Next to me were many pairs of shoes. I took off mine and placed them in the line to be polite.

"Follow me," the man said as he made his way down the hall. I nodded and followed, holding the flower in both my hands. He opened another door and we appeared in a courtyard. There were many flowers and a small pond in one part of the area and another part was just flat grass, mostly likely used for training. It was a relaxing place to be.

I saw a girl on the other side of the courtyard drinking from a cup. She had soft lavender tinged clear eyes as well and her hair was dark blue. She wore a jacket with fur endings and a pair of kapris.

~That must be Hinata.~ "Hinata, you have a guest." I stopped a few feet in front of the girl and she looked up quickly, seeming shocked for some reason. She looked up at me nervously and the man who had escorted me here left.

"H-Hi," she stuttered nervously as she looked down to her drink. "Y-You're H-Hikari from c-class." I nodded and smiled down to her. "It's g-good to see y-you."

~She really is shy. She seems really polite though, just like Shika said.~ "It's nice to see you too Hinata," I said happily. "I came by to tell you congratulations." That seemed to catch her attention. She looked up quickly.

"C-Congratulations?"

"For becoming a Genin!" I replied in excitement. I handed her the flower and she looked at it in surprise. "A present for you. I hope you like it." She nodded swiftly and looked back to me.

"It's beautiful," she said with a nervous smile. I placed a hand on my hip.

"There's no need to be nervous around me Hinata," I said cheerfully. She flinched slightly at my words. "We're friends, right?" She looked like she didn't know what to say and I didn't really blame her. She didn't look like she had many friends. Making one right after talking to someone was probably a big shock.

"O-Of course Hikari," she replied with a huge smile. I knew that I had made her very happy. "Thank you f-for the g-gift and for c-congratulating me. I appreciate it."

"That's what friends do!" I said as I turned away. "Good luck with everything! Be sure to come visit me, alright?" I felt her smile and her nod. ~I actually like her. She's not boy obsessed and she's really nice. We'll get along fine.~

I opened the door to enter the hallway and came face-to-face with the Hyuga boy. He was the same height as me and he glared into my eyes. I really had no idea why he didn't like me. I hadn't said one thing to the guy.

"Oh, sorry," I apologized as I moved to let him by. His eyes didn't leave mine. "I didn't get to introduce myself to you earlier. I'm Hikari Phoenix, a new Genin of the Leaf." I smiled triumphantly but he still glared. I scratched the back of my head in slight confusion. "Umm…what's your name?" he didn't answer and I sighed. I wasn't going to force him to tell me his name. If he wanted to be rude then I'd just let him. "Well then, I guess I'll talk to you later. Excuse me."

I went to move passed him but as soon as I took a step, he activated his kekki-genkai. I stopped and looked at him. Veins surrounded his eyes and he looked at me in apathy, looked _through_ me is what it felt like. I would have shuddered but I was used to the Mangekyo Sharingan staring at me so this simple Byakugan didn't affect me.

"…Your chakra…" he said after a time. I looked to him in confusion. Could he see how much I had? Probably. "Is different." I almost sighed. I knew that my chakra was different than everyone else's. "It changes speed and movement every second. It's like it doesn't even have a set path or a set release point."

My chakra was always rapidly changing inside of me. I didn't understand this, not even Pein understood this. I had been taken to every specialist in every country. That's how I met Tsunade and Jiriya. Not even they could tell me why it did this.

"I don't know why it does that," I answered seriously, answering the question he was about to ask. "I've been to every specialist in every country and none of them can tell why it does this. The only thing they said was that it was like I had been puzzled together with hundreds of different chakras. That would be impossible though so they left it at that."

The boy looked slightly startled by my answer and closed his eyes. His Byakugan vanished and his eyes were normal when he opened them. "I……apologize for before." He said in irritation. "Neji Hyuga is my name. I am a second year Genin on Might Guy's squad."

I smiled and nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can be friends" I reached my hand out to him and he didn't glance at it. He walked by me and into the courtyard. I frowned.

When he passed me he whispered, "I said I apologize, not that I wanted to be friends." ~Guess I can't say that I didn't see that coming.~ I turned around to glare at him lightly. He didn't turn around and kept walking. Hinata whispered something to him shyly as he walked passed. He ignored her and slammed the door behind him. She flinched visibly and clutched the flower to her chest.

I sighed and walked out of the courtyard. ~I wonder why he's so angry. There has to be a reason behind it. Maybe it's hidden in his past…~ I slipped my shoes back on and stepped outside. ~Neji Hyuga…I'll have to keep an eye on you...You're clan's ability in seeing chakras could be very dangerous if Itachi or I were to slip up. I'll have to be more cautious now.~

I stretched my arms above my head. ~Finally done! It only took me…~ I gazed around for a clock. It read: 7:29. ~More than five hours… ~ I sighed before I noticed something. This place looked familiar. I looked up. The Uchiha district was a few blocks away from here. I turned to my left and found a weapons store.

~I never really congratulated my team…I'd bet they'd enjoy something!~ I turned and entered the weapons store quickly. I searched for a while before finding a few things I was sure Naruto and Sasuke would like. Two new sets of shurikens, four new kunai, and a demon windmill shuriken found there way to the counter. I decided to get Sasuke something extra to make up for all the pranks I had pulled on him. It wasn't cheap but I had plenty so it didn't really affect me. The man placed them in two large black boxes. I said my thanks and walked out. A few more stores were on the way, including a fragrance place. I smiled happily. ~I hope they like their gifts.~

Sakura's Pov

The doorbell rang and I quickly ran downstairs to answer it. "One minute!" I called as I approached. I opened the door with a smile and found no one. I frowned and was about to shut the door when something pink caught my eye. I looked down and gasped.

A large pink basket sat on the doorstep. Inside were chocolates and perfumes of all kinds. I picked up the large basket and shut the door with my heel. I placed it on the table and looked at everything. ~This must have cost a fortune! I wonder who…~

I found a letter attached to the side. I took it and opened it up swiftly.

Dear Sakura,

I just wanted to say congratulations on becoming a Genin. I know that we're like arch rivals or something but I hope we can learn to work together, at least while we're on the same team. Good luck with everything!

PS. I hope you like the gifts.

Hikari

I looked at the letter wide-eyed. ~Hikari sent me this?! That's……actually nice. Wait what am I thinking! She's just trying to get the better of you Sakura! But I won't fall for that!~ I picked up a glass bottle of perfume. ~But, I can't let this stuff go to waste.~

Naruto's Pov

The door bell rung and I ran down stairs. This was the first time that someone had come to my house and I was excited. "Hello!' I exclaimed and opened the door. No one was there and I pouted. "Hey! What's this?!"

I bent down and picked up a large black box. It was _really _heavy. ~What the heck is in here?! It weighs a million pounds!~ I dropped it on my couch and opened. My eyes widened and I smiled brightly.

A set of shuriken and two new kunai were in one corner of the box and a giant bento box was on the other side. I opened up the bento box and found…"RAMEN!" I exclaimed happily. I pulled out the box quickly and took the chopsticks that were attached to it before cramming the best food in the world into my mouth.

After a few minutes, I noticed a note. It had a few noodles on it but it was still in one piece. I picked it up and unfolded it.

Dear Naruto,

I'm glad that you're one step closer to your dream! I'm going to help you accomplish it no matter what! That's what friends are for!

PS. I hope you like your gifts!

Your friend,

Hikari

I grinned widely. "Hikari is awesome!" I exclaimed. "I'm so glad we're friends!" I put the note down and proceeded to devour the rest of my ramen hungrily.

Kakashi's Pov

A knock sounded at the door and I sighed. I was just getting to the part in the middle that Hikari must have been talking about and I didn't wasn't to be interrupted. I kept reading the book when I answered the door.

"Yes?" I asked, never taking my eyes off the page. When no one answered, I looked away from the text.

A rather large box was on the step. It was strange. I nudged it with my foot. It didn't seem dangerous but I didn't know of any reason as to why I'd get something. There was no occasion and I hadn't ordered anything. A note on top caught my attention. I closed my book and picked it up.

Dear Kakashi-sensei,

It's not a trap or anything! It's just a gift. I can't wait until tomorrow!

PS. I hope you like them! They're priceless!

Sincerely,

Hikari

I grinned slightly. ~A gift? For _me? _How…thoughtful I guess.~ I put the book on the coffee table when I walked in before setting the box down. I was surprised to see what was inside. All three of the _original_ Make-Out-Paradise books, each cased in a glass case were on one side of the box. They even had the original manuscripts with them! I picked up the glass boxes and placed them on the table.

~She had the _original _series?! She must have paid him a fortune for them! I can't believe she's actually giving them away!~ I was about to shut the box when I noticed an envelope on the bottom. It contained four tickets, tickets to the first movie made for the series. They wouldn't be sold in the theatre for another five months!

I looked at them from under half-lidded eyes. ~Wait a second…There are four tickets… One for me, one for Guy, one for Asuma, and…~ I sighed in mock disbelief. ~…and one for Hikari.~

I smiled. She was a good kid and she had the potential to become the strongest kunochi Konoha had ever seen. Her responsibility and the skill she had in strategizing was already beyond her comrades exponentially. I thought about Icatai Hayate.

~The files he gave us of her only held so much information. But just from looking at those, we can tell she is already to pass Genin level. She could easily be a Chuunin at her age and possibly even be ready to take the test to become a Jounin.~

I laid down on the couch lazily and sighed. ~But why exactly is she holding back? She said that high level jutsu drained most of her chakra but that reason alone was dropped after viewing her during survival training. She must be hiding something.~ I sighed. ~It wouldn't surprise me. We don't know a thing about those two besides what they want us to know…~ I paused in thought and reached for the book on the table.

~I guess I can't do anything until a threat is admitted. Neither of them has caused any problems for the village so I can't jump to conclusions.~

I began to read after one last thought. ~Hikari…the way you act around the team…its like you've known Naruto and Sasuke for years…. Is this really your first time in Konoha?~

Sasuke's Pov

I heard a knock on my door and I groaned slightly. ~If it's another girl, I swear I'll-~ I opened the door with a glare on my face. Only a large black box was in view. I looked left and right before picking it up cautiously and carrying it into the living room. ~This better not be a prank….~

I set it on the table and opened it up quickly. I did not expect what was inside. A new set of shuriken, two new kunai knives, and a demon wind shuriken rested against the far edge. A large bento box was next to that and I opened it to find it full of white rice and sushi.

I smirked. Maybe one of my fangirls actually knew what I liked. I found a folded piece of paper attached to a large white box on the bottom. The box didn't say anything on it so I decided to look at the note first.

Dear Sasuke,

I just wanted to say congrats for earlier. It's a step closer to your……ambition.

~What? Why and how do any of those girls know about that?~

Being on your team is probably going to be a pain at points but I hope we can be friends, or at least rivals.

I narrowed my eyes. ~Wait a minute…this letter…is from Hikari? She sent me all of this? Why would that loser…~

I've decided that I'm tired of arguing with you all the time and I want to have an actual good relationship with you. I included this white box for you.

I paused reading and pulled on the handle of the box to reveal the other side. My eyes widened slightly then narrowed. ~A first-aid kit? Some gift…~

You're going to need this in exactly……172 hours.

The clock rang as soon as I read 172 hours. It was eight. I smirked. ~Impressive timing. I'm going to need this in seven days and four hours? That's when…~ My smirk grew. ~You're threatening me? Right after proposing to be _friends? _I'll be sure to get you first loser.~

I'm just kidding Uchiha! Friends make fun of each other, correct? (I'm not going to be able to tease you for seven days so I had to do something!) Anyway, I hope you like everything. See ya tomorrow……bright and early…

Your friend,

Hikari

I folded up the note and scoffed. ~Attempting to have a friendship with _her_? Like that'll happen.~ I crumpled up the note and tossed it in the trash bin. ~Not even in her dreams.~ I took out a notepad and pencil then put them on the table before putting a piece of sushi in my mouth.

~She'll enjoy her first day.~ I smirked as I wrote down every chore I could think of. ~Our first mission is tomorrow as well. Wonder what I should have her call me.~ My smirk turned slightly humerous as another piece made it into my mouth. ~Lord? Master?......I'm going to enjoy this.~

Hikari's Pov

~So much for softening him up in the process…~ I gazed in the window to him. He was writing down many different tasks, most likely the tasks I would be performing tomorrow. A smirk appeared on his face every once and a while. I sighed. ~Tomorrow is not going to be fun.~

He put a piece of sushi in his mouth. ~At least he likes his gifts.~ I smiled at him before teleporting home. I appeared at the door and reached for the knob but was stopped by the sound of my name.

"Hey, Hikari!" I turned to find Iruka walking down the road towards me. He smiled brightly and waved. I returned the gesture. He stopped at the entrance to the property. "I heard all four of you passed, congratulations!" I nodded my head. "You'll have to tell me about it sometime." I let out a small laugh.

"It was rough, but we made it." I looked over my shoulder to the house. "You want to come in for a minute sensei?"

"No thanks," he answered politely, as he turned back to the road. "I need to get home. Maybe some other time."

"I'll hold you to it!" I called as he began walking away. He waved over his shoulder and laughed.

I sighed slightly. ~The whole mansion to myself for a few days. I haven't stayed anywhere alone since the survival test that Pein put me through.~ I walked into the dark house and shuddered slightly as I remembered those two weeks. All alone in the mountains for a few weeks with nothing but the clothes on my back and a sole kunai made me learn to take care of myself if I was ever put in that position.

I didn't bother to turn the lights on. My night vision was almost the same as my day vision so there was hardly a difference. I walked up the stairs, down the hall, and to my room. I took off my shoes and jumped onto the bed.

~I should invite the team over for dinner sometime. I can fix everyone's favorites! …though Kakashi probably won't eat a thing and I don't know if Sasuke will let me and…~ I thought about every possible outcome, good, bad, and neutral and eventually fell asleep in the midst of my thoughts.


	18. Chapter 18: 1st Day as Sasuke's Servant

First Day as Sasuke's Servant

Hikari's Pov

I raised a disbelieving eyebrow at the list on the counter. I glanced over the peculiar list skeptically before sighing. ~I should have sent him more gifts… this list is _awful_.~ I rubbed the back of my head before setting off for the first task. Breakfast.

I raided the fridge of whatever I would need. I knew that he used to like cheesy scrambled eggs when he was little so I decided to test it out. I also fixed basically the same breakfast I had this morning, only substituting the biscuits for pancakes.

In the middle of flipping pancakes, I heard a yawn and the cracking of bones. I laughed slightly to my myself. ~Just the way it used to be.~

"You're up early, loser," he said coldly. I looked over my shoulder and grinned.

"I needed to make a good breakfast so you could be prepared for the mission." My grinned widened at his striking face. Alert and awake as always with no evidence of weariness marring it. "I hope you like cheesy eggs. I made them special for you."

He narrowed his eyes as I turned around. I transferred the eggs and bacon to a plate and the smell of freshly cooked food filled the kitchen. He walked over to the stove and stood beside me. He wasn't much shorter and his hair made him just about the same height. He stared at the large pan of pancakes as if to make sure I was preparing them correctly.

"Be careful. I don't want you to burn yourself." I felt him roll his eyes stubbornly and scoff.

"I'm not going to burn myself. I'm not a stupid little kid." He glared at me from the corner of his eyes.

I grinned and reached up to lightly ruffle his hair. He retracted back and sent daggers my way. "You're definitely not stupid Sasuke, more…reckless and stubborn." He frowned and fixed his hair. He stopped soon after and eyed the food on the plate across from him before reaching for a piece of bacon.

I slapped his hand with the spatula and he pulled it back immediately. He rubbed his hand and glared at me angrily and I grinned.

"Go sit down and wait," I commanded. I reached a hand up and flipped him in the forehead since his head band wasn't on. "It'll be ready soon, promise."

"Don't order me around!" he commanded as he began to turn around. I nodded calmly and it only made him angrier. He must have been hoping to catch me breaking the rules of the bet by yelling back at him. I heard him curse under his breath before taking a seat.

"Cursing in front of a lady is not polite Sasuke," I said, laughing inside at his temper.

"What I say and do is none of your business." He retorted icily. "Just hurry up." He sounded like he was losing his patience so I didn't argue once again.

I looked over my shoulder to see if I had his attention. He was glaring at me. I smirked slightly. I flipped all five pancakes in the air behind me. I didn't see how he reacted because I grabbed the plate. I began to spin in different directions in the small area, each step taking me closer to him. Each pancake landed perfectly on top of each other in flawless timing. I spun around the last time and put the plate down right in front of him. The last pancake landed on the top a mere second later.

I bowed playfully with a smile. ~Cooking all these years has paid off. These tricks are easy now.~ I waited for any sort of gesture but a "hn" replaced it. I stood back up and saw him pick up his eating utensil.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't use my food for a stupid trick." His voice was serious as he looked to me. I rolled my eyes slightly, remembering that I had to obey his commands, and walked back to the counter to retrieve the bacon and eggs along with the syrup and butter. ~You used to like that _trick_.~

I placed the items beside him then quickly poured a glass of milk and did the same. He didn't even mutter a thanks but I didn't mind.

His black tresses hid his face from view and I unconsciously raised a hand. He froze as I combed back the silky black hair behind his ear with care. I smiled lightly but instantly snapped back to reality when I looked into the black depths. They peered over to me with a mixture of emotions, anguish being a major point.

I flinched visibly and removed my hand quickly before stepping back. ~What did I do? He looks…….hurt.~

I bowed my head in an apology. "I-I'm sorry," I apologized shakily. "That was out of line. I'll get started with the list right away." I turned around briskly only to be stopped by a firm grasp on my wrist and a slight pull back.

A look back gave me the impression that he was angry with me but that thought was wiped away when I saw his sinister smirk on his lips. "Don't think you'll be getting off that easily." My eyes widened slightly as his grip tightened before he shoved me towards the patio/hallway. "Take the second door on your right."

He turned back to his food without another word. I looked to him curiously before making my way to the room. A small smile spread on his face when I was gone.

I walked back into the kitchen, a fake smile plastered on my lips. Sasuke was still eating, but turned to look over his shoulder when he sensed my presence. A grin couldn't help but cross his face. I curtsied to him mockingly but pretended to look sincere.

"Thank you so much for this. I _love _it, _master_."

"Hn…you're welcome," he said cockily, loving the fact that I had called him my master. He seemed like he was waiting for an angry outburst. I was relieved that he seemed to be back to his normal self. I didn't like feeling so awkward around him.

I was dressed in a knee-length black dress with a frilly red trim and a red apron across the front. Small black flats adorned my feet and a pair of tight leather gloves stuck to my hands. I was, to say the least, annoyed and somewhat outraged that I would be forced to wear this when I was doing work around the complex. This outfit was made for a maid and Sasuke was definitely taking advantage of the situation.

He grew annoyed when all I did was take the list without another word. ~Breakfast. Check. Next is…scrub the floors and dust the house. Alright… Where are the supplies?~ I looked around and saw nothing.

"In the closet," he said bluntly.

"Hmm?" I looked over to him. He finished off his milk and pointed to a door.

"The supplies are in that closet, loser." He didn't even look at me and I rolled my eyes inconspicuously at his attitude before striding over.

All that stood in the closet was a small duster, a bucket, and a tooth brush. I gaped as I looked to them. I picked up the small red toothbrush and clenched it tightly.

~No way am I going to scrub the _entire_ residence with this!~ I turned around and opened my mouth to speak but quickly covered it when I saw Sasuke smirking face. He rested his chin on his hands and propped his elbows on the table. I exhaled my retort slowly. ~Right…no complaints or I'll have to work another week.~

"Where should I start first, _sir?_" I asked sweetly, my eyes glaring into his. His smirk only grew and he stood from the table before making his way over to the sink to drop off the dishes.

"Wash these, then start with the ground floor before working your way up." The dishes fell with a "clank" before he walked away. "I'll be outside if you need any instruction." He looked over his shoulder with a light glare. "But try not to need anything…loser."

I scoffed lightly, only raising his ego more with my annoyance. When he left, I looked at the toothbrush in hand, an exhausted look already on my face. I sighed. "It's just you an me now…"

By now, I had figured out that Sasuke Uchiha could be a real jerk. My first day of cleaning took almost the entire day, not including all the other tasks like cooking and washing different items. The only break I had was when it was time for our mission.

_Flashback to the 1__st__ Mission_

_We walked silently to the park, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto ahead of Kakashi and I. By now I had already changed into my normal outfit. I walked next to Kakashi purposefully, wanting to talk to him about my problem._

_He was reading his book when I spoke up. "Hey…Kakashi-sensei?" I looked over and up to him sheepishly. He took his eyes off the page and looked down to me lazily, probably wondering what I could possibly need to ask about such a simple mission._

"_Yes?"_

"_I…well you see…umm…what I mean is…never mind" I was annoyed with how flustered I had just become and I glared ahead at nothing in particular._

_He looked to me with slight confusion towards my behavior before shrugging and going back to his novel._

"_Alright."_

_~I shouldn't be nervous about this. I mean, everyone has trouble with handling kids right? And everyone is nervous about there first time…right? And I have nothing to worry about because these kids would be angels………right?~_

_Wrong!_

_We each were given a child. Mine happened to be the sweetest little girl that I had ever seen (possibly because she was the only child I had ever been in contact with.) and she was very quiet on top of that. I was so lucky! _

_However, Sasuke's child…was a demon. The small boy wouldn't stop jumping around and he threw everything he touched while he tore at everything else. He ignored everything and he even went so far as to pull Sakura's hair. I was surprised on how well she took the situation, only glaring at the small child instead of wringing his neck._

_After about 5 minutes, Sasuke was tired of the annoying monster. He made sure that the others weren't looking when he picked up his kid and set him in front of me, a firm grip on the toddler's shoulders. He looked at me with a solemn face and I stared back with a question in mine. He narrowed his eyes and realization hit._

"_No," I stated simply. I shook my head and crossed my arms. "No way! I won't do it. I will not trade with you. It's not my fault you got him."_

_He smirked and crossed his arms. "Disobeying orders?" I frowned instantly and clenched my teeth only for a moment. I cursed him under my breath, making sure the children didn't hear, before shaking my head. I felt his smirk when he let go of the rambunctious child before picking up the small girl that had fallen asleep in my arms._

_If it wasn't for the boy, I would have noticed the heart warming scene of Sasuke holding the small sleeping child in his arms tenderly, showing his gentle side for a few moments. The only thing I could think about right then was that Sasuke was more worried about looking good for Kakashi-sensei than my sanity. _

_After 2 hours I was praying for Kakashi to come back and save me. The little boy was on thin ice now and one more thing was bound to set me off. That one thing came quickly. I stood up and he jumped on my back when I bent over to pick up the toy that Naruto's little girl had dropped. _

_He sent us both tumbling down a hill at the edge of the park. I rolled quickly, making sure to tuck the boy into my arms to keep him from getting hurt by any stray rocks or twigs. I noticed a change when the ground started to feel rocky. I opened my eyes and saw that we were on a small cliff…leading to a pound. My eyes widened slightly and I looked down at the small bundle in my arms, one that couldn't swim and wouldn't be prepared for the water. _

_I let him go and pushed him back to stop him so he wouldn't get hurt. I fell off the twenty foot cliff and crashed into the water soon after. I hadn't screamed once, having been in worse situations than plummeting from that height but I was still irritated. _

_I resurfaced after a few minutes. I sucked in some air and flipped my head back to get the hair out of my face. I met the face of my sensei when I looked back forward. He stood against the cliff side with his arms crossed and stance composed. He looked at me lazily but some concern shown in his expression. _

_I looked up to the edge of the cliff and saw a frantic looking Naruto with the little girl on his back. He looked nervous and worried and he was leaning over the cliff and staring down at me. _

_Sakura held her little boy in her arms and she looked shocked and frightened too. They must have been panicking or something. There wasn't really anything to worry about though. I wouldn't die from that kind of fall._

_I caught Sasuke's eye. He was starring down at me with no emotion visible but I could have sworn that I caught a glimpse of jealousy, but I could have misinterpreted it. Why would he be jealous? I hadn't done anything but fall off a cliff. _

_I looked back to Kakashi and saw that his face was literally just inches from mine. I smiled innocently. "Hey Kakashi-sensei," I greeted with a smile. "When did you get here?"_

"_Right before you fell." He uncrossed his arms and held them both out to me. "Are you alright?" I nodded before taking grasping his wrists and he grasped mine in return. _

_He lifted me out of the water and held me in his arms before making his way back up the cliff side in a leisurely fashion. He must have thought that I couldn't walk back up or something. _

_~Is a Genin not supposed to know how to do this? They really are far behind…~_

_He reached the edge but didn't put me down yet. I looked up to him in confusion as he walked passed my teammates. He smiled down to me enthusiastically, his eye crinkling into a smile as well. _

"_I wouldn't want you to fall again," he answered as he made his way up the steep hill. "It's a miracle that you didn't hurt yourself after the first time." I laughed at this slightly and nodded in understanding. _

"_Kakashi-sensei! Kakashi-sensei!" I looked behind him and saw Naruto racing up the hill with his kid still on his shoulders. He looked frantic. "Is she okay?! She's not hurt is she sensei?!" I smiled at his caring nature._

"_I'm alright Naruto, really." He looked at me with a huge relief filled grin. Kakashi set me down on a bench and took a few steps away. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his Make-Out Paradise book. _

_Naruto put his kid down gently before running over and giving me a huge hug. I cringed slightly and almost fell off the bench. His arms were around my neck and he was squeezing the life out of me._

"_I was so worried about you Hikari! That stupid kid sent you toward that cliff and I ran after you but I couldn't catch up! I can't believe you saved that brat! He deserved to fall into the water!"_

_I chuckled at him and carefully pried him off to get air back into my lungs. I held him at arms length and saw true concern in his normally bright blue eyes. _

"_I'm really fine Naruto," I said with a bright smile. "I promise." He nodded but didn't look too convinced. _

_Sakura set the boy in her arms next to Naruto's girl and came over to stand near the bench. She crossed her arms and looked down at me with narrowed eyes, though concern was evident in them. She was trying not to look like she was worried about me but I didn't mind because I knew the truth. _

"_Don't you ever do something like that again!" She exclaimed loudly. _

_~She makes it sound like it was my fault…~_

"_You got it." At least she kind of expressed that she was worried about me. _

_Sasuke came to stand in front of me, the sleeping little girl still in his arms. He narrowed his eyes when he looked down to me. I gazed into his curiously, wanting to know how he felt about my action. _

_He scoffed after a minute and turned his back to me. "You idiot…You'll get yourself killed if you can't even complete a D-rank mission without injury." He headed off in the direction I assumed we were supposed to be headed in._

_I sighed slightly. ~I should have expected no less from him…~ _

"_Wait up Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed. She took her child and Naruto's in her arms before running to catch up with him. _

"_You are such a jerk Sasuke!" Naruto yelled loudly. He was about to run over to him when my little boy came up to the bench beside me. "Eh?" Naruto looked down to him angrily. He pointed an accusing finger at him. "This is all your fault! Hikari wouldn't have gotten hurt if it wasn't for you, you little brat!" _

"_Naruto…" I didn't want him yelling at a little kid. That wasn't the right thing to do. _

_Suddenly, the kid began to cry and he latched himself to my arm. This startled me and I looked down to the kid sadly. I hated when others were upset, and I learned that I really didn't like kids to be that way. _

"_I sowwy. I wewy wewy sowwy," he cried. "I be good fwom now on. I pwomise…" My eyes saddened even more so and I brought the kid into my arms and hugged him tightly, completely forgetting that I was soaking wet. I saw that this kid really appreciated what I did and that it had changed him for the better. Hopefully he would keep his promise._

"_Shhhh. It's okay sweet heart," I coed quietly, rocking him softly in my arms. "I'm fine. I forgive you." He sniffled and his crying slowed slightly as I set his head on my shoulder and continued my rocking. _

_He soon fell asleep and I sighed in content. "Wow," Kakashi said as he came over. He placed his book in his pouch. "And I didn't think you had any child experience. Guess I was wrong." He rubbed the back of his head and smiled. _

_~Was he reading my mind before or something?~_

"_I honestly only did what came natural," I admitted. I felt the night's sudden chill and I shivered visibly. I looked down at the small, now also wet child in my arms. _

"_Hey Naruto." I looked over to him. He was staring down at the little kid but looked up at the sound of his name. _

"_What is it Hikari?" I smiled at his anxious to help face. _

"_Umm…could I use your jacket for a bit."_

"_You could have just said you were cold!" He was already shrugging out of his orange coat, leaving him with a black t-shirt. He held it out to me. "I would have given it to you faster!"_

_I took it with a grin. "Thanks Naruto, but it's not for me." He looked confused but soon found out what I meant when I wrapped it around the little boy. "He's all wet. I wouldn't want him to catch a cold because of me."_

"_You're so nice Hikari!" He said enthusiastically, jumping up from the bench. "Even to a mini brat!" I looked up to him with scolding eyes._

"_He's not so bad Naruto." I brushed a strand of his auburn hair from his face. "Just a little rough around the edges." I smiled up at him before standing myself. "He actually reminds me of my best friend." _

"_Oh," Naruto said somewhat sadly, not getting what I meant. _

_Before I knew it, I was wrapped around the shoulders with something heavy and warm. I looked over my shoulder and saw Kakashi fix his green Jounin jacket around me. That left him in his long sleeve navy shirt. _

"_I think she means you Naruto," he said as he began to walk forward, hand in his pocket while his other held his book. He looked over his shoulder. "Though that's just a guess." He looked back to me. "I'd rather you not get sick either Hikari. I don't know what I'd do if I was left with these three." I grinned at his remark and he turned around. _

"_HEY! I'M NOT LIKE HIM!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, totally ignoring Kakashi's last comment. I covered the child's ears and shot him a small glare.  
_

"_Naruto!" I spoke loudly. "Don't wake him up!"_

"_Oh, right," he whispered. "Sorry Hikari." _

_I sighed. "It's fine." I smiled to him and made a gesture towards our teammates and Kakashi with my head. "Let's go then, Naruto. Mission Complete! One down…who knows how many more to go!" _

_I walked forward briskly, Naruto on my heels. He soon came up to walk beside me with a victorious grin spreading from ear to ear. He still couldn't believe that he had been acknowledged as someone's best friend. Those small words made him the happiest guy in the world at the moment and he was going to do anything he could to keep his title!_

_I was about to head home after delivering the kids when Sasuke reminded me about my chores. I nodded unhappily, hugging Kakashi's warm coat to me without noticing. Kakashi saw this and told me to keep it and just to give it back tomorrow. He had several others at his house. I thanked him before heading off with Sasuke to his home._

_End Flashback of 1__st__ Mission_


	19. Chapter 19: 4th Day as Sasuke's Servant

4th Day as a Servant…

Sasuke had been somewhat caring of my pride at least. He had not told anyone about me being his servant for the week, though I was positive that Kakashi knew about it.

Unfortunately, Sakura had also found out. Turns out, she had come over to see Sasuke when I was working on the outside of the house. She was not happy to say the least. She kept ranting and Naruto eventually caught on. They were both in the process of complaining to Kakashi when Sasuke and I came into the clearing we used for training. I was actually surprised that Kakashi was there on time.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura exclaimed angrily. She pointed a finger at me when I got closer and I stopped in my tracks, as did Sasuke. He looked at the girl with little interest. I looked at her with confusion. "You can't let her stay with my Sasuke! She's probably doing something bad to his home or she's doing inappropriate things to him and trapping him in there!"

"Yeah!" Naruto agreed, only with different reasons. "Sasuke's probably abusing her or hurting her when no one's around! You can't trust that arrogant jerk with anything! Especially my best friend!"

Sasuke twitched in anger before scoffing at the accusation. "Hn. Dobe. I would never abuse a female or Hikari." I nodded in agreement, knowing that he was serious. I looked over what he said again and turned slightly to glare at him. He wore his trademark smirk, knowing that I got his _joke. _

"It's not right sensei!" Naruto exclaimed again, ignoring Sasuke's statement. He turned to Sasuke. "Let her go Sasuke! She's not a freakin' servant! Slavery is illegal!"

Sasuke looked to me with a glare, telling me to shut the idiot up _now._ I didn't know what to say so I just explained the story to Naruto.

"I will never go back on my word or break my promises," I said with a true smile. That really was the rule I tried my hardest to live by.

Kakashi looked down at the two of them, not knowing how to deal with this problem exactly. I was still partially dumbstruck from Sakura's statement of me doing "inappropriate things to Sasuke". I didn't know what she meant by that exactly and I'm not sure that I wanted to.

He rubbed the back of his head in a nervous manner before speaking. "Um…I think Sasuke's being serious when he says that he'd never hurt her Naruto. And Sakura, I'm sure that Hikari would never betray your trust." They both turned to us, Sakura looking at me seriously and Naruto looking at Sasuke the same way.

"You better leave him/her alone you jerk!" They both yelled at the same time, Naruto punching his fist into his other hand meaning it to be Sasuke and Sakura waving a fist at me. They then turned to each, startled with the outbursts. "Hey! Don't threaten Sasuke/Hikari!"

I waved my arms in front of me disarmingly. "Hey guys." They looked at me and I took a step away from Sasuke. He looked at me in apathy at my action. "See." I waved a hand in the space between us. "Nothing is going to happen between us, alright? I wouldn't do anything to hurt you Sakura and I can protect myself very well Naruto." I emphasized my statement by taking out a kunai and twirling it around one finger before throwing it up and catching it while keeping my eyes on him. "See?"

He still didn't look convinced but nodded his head. Sakura still looked angry. She pointed to me with venom in her words. "I mean it Hikari! Stay away from him!"

I nodded before side-stepping her and walking over to Kakashi briskly. I stood at his side and looked up to him with slightly pleading eyes, asking him to begin training already. He chuckled, partially in relief and in amusement. His team was anything but boring.

"Okay! Sasuke." He motioned for Sasuke to go out to the opening. "You, Hikari, and Naruto will have a three-way sparring match while Sakura and work on her strength."

We all nodded and headed to the clearing. Sasuke took one side and Naruto took the other so we stood in a triangle form.

"What are the rules this time?"

"Just Taijutsu and weapons," Sasuke answered, pulling out a kunai. Naruto did the same and I readied three shuriken. "Start!"

Sasuke and Naruto leapt forward, charging at each other. They had a huge rival thing that I didn't quite understand and they were constantly bickering. I couldn't say much about it so I just let them have at it. They weren't going to kill each other or anything…at least not under my watch.

They fought on for a few minutes before I got bored of standing around. I threw two of my shuriken behind each of their ankles then threw the other right down the middle. The middle kunai caused them each to step back and the strings I had wrapped on the outside shuriken twisted back to tie their feet together. I still held the two strings in my hand and gave them a tug. Naruto and Sasuke toppled over, having lost their footing and were on their stomachs in a pile. Sasuke was on bottom with Naruto on top.

I set my forearm firmly against Naruto's shoulder blades and placed a kunai at Sasuke's neck. If Naruto attempted to move, my arm would also, causing the other with the knife to slice through Sasuke's neck.

"I win," I said with a victorious smile.

"No fair Hikari!" Naruto exclaimed, shaking his body and trying to get free. I heard Sasuke intake a breath when my kunai almost grazed his skin because of Naruto's movements. "You used chakra strings! Those weren't in the rules!"

I got up before Naruto did actual damage to his teammate. "Chakra strings are considered a weapon, idiot," Sasuke said angrily. "Now get the heck off me!"

Sasuke bent his legs up to kick Naruto and successfully knocked him off his back. Naruto landed a few feet away on his back and sat up, a scowl lining his face. He took out a kunai and cut the strings off his ankles as did Sasuke.

"If you had been paying attention then this wouldn't have happened loser," Sasuke said coldly.

"You arrogant jerk! You weren't paying attention to her either! Stop blaming me!"

"I will when it's not your fault."

"Sasuke! I'm gonnna-." I had to hold Naruto back from walking over to the now standing Uchiha. "Let me at 'em Hikari! He deserves all he's about to get!"

I looked back to Sasuke and saw him smirk and cross his arms, daring me to let Naruto go. I knew there would be more work for me if I did. I sighed.

"Naruto, it's both your faults." He stopped struggling and looked up to me in confusion and anger. I looked to Sasuke and let go of Naruto's shoulders. "If you had both not been so focused on each other, you would have noticed me in the background. You're lucky that this was only training or you'd both be dead now."

Sasuke scoffed. "Yeah right. Like you could ever best me in a fight, loser." I shrugged my shoulders.

"I've beaten you both these passed four days of training." He glared at me angrily and I just looked back normally. "You need to start demonstrating teamwork. Once you stop destroying the others chances of victory will you come out victorious."

"I don't need to be lectured," he hissed lowly, turning his back to me. "I'm fine on my own. Always have been." He headed off towards Kakashi and I sighed tiredly.

~I've been trying my hardest to get him to open up to me these past few days… The only thing I've achieved is making him more distant.~

"Don't pay attention to that jerk Hikari." I looked down to my blonde friend. He smiled up to me brightly. "He just doesn't like being proven wrong." I nodded in understanding.

~Of course not. He is an _Uchiha_ after all. All three of them can't handle it.~ I smirked, remembering a mission where Itachi had acted the same way. He hadn't listened to me and ended up getting caught walking around the small town in the Mist. Luckily, one of Kisame's old acquaintances decided to drop in and "save the day". That was the day I met Haku and that large swordsman.

"I know someone like that," I said with a grin. I ruffled his hair lightly and followed behind my "master". "Oh course, you're just as stubborn about some things."

"Am not!"

"What about yesterday at the ramen stand? You wanted miso even though they had run out for the day. You sat at the same spot for over three hours complaining."

"Well-."

"And the mission at that lady's garden the other morning. You were so sure that you were pulling up weeds and not the flowers. You wouldn't listen to me when I told you to stop. Now you have a knot on your head from her dish pan."

He started to run to catch up to me. "That's different! I-."

"Oh! And that one afternoon at the bridge when you asked Sakura out on a date and she told you "no" a hundred times. You'd think you'd get the picture by then but-."

"Hikari! I get it!"

He pouted when I laughed and smiled at him. "I'm sorry Naruto. I just like to tease you is all."

"Whatever." He tried to look irritated but I could see happiness in his eyes. He wasn't used to all the attention and he enjoyed it.

Kakashi and Sakura had just sat on the grass and were pulling out their bento boxes to eat. Sasuke sat at a distance on Kakashi's side and I took a seat in front of him, Naruto beside me. Sasuke didn't look up from his meal but his body language told me that he was still aggravated with his nonexistent effort a few moments ago.

"All right!" Naruto exclaimed, pulling out his own lunch. "Time for lunch!"

That's when I noticed a problem. I didn't have any lunch. Again. I was too busy this morning to even think about it. Lunch was basically the only partial meal I got anymore, and that lunch usually consisted of me being offered a piece of sushi that Naruto brought in his. I sighed and stood. Naruto and Sakura looked up to me in confusion. Sasuke didn't seem to notice and kept eating.

"Not eating _again_ Hikari?" I looked at Kakashi and noticed him placing down his chopsticks, lunch eaten without any of us seeing his face once again. "This is the fourth day straight. That's not very healthy."

I nodded. "I forgot my lunch again Kakashi-sensei. I'm eating at my other meal times. I'll be fine, promise." He nodded to me; not looking convinced but didn't press thankfully.

I didn't need them knowing that I hadn't eaten these past four days. Naruto looked up to me concerned and I ruffled his hair to show that I really was okay. He frowned and I chuckled softly. I caught Sasuke's scrutinizing look before walking passed him. I needed to practice to keep my mind off my stomach.

I didn't hear Kakashi's question to Sasuke. "When did you last see her eat Sasuke?"

Sasuke had to think back a moment. Now that he really thought about, he hadn't seen her eat at all since the day she started working for him. In fact, she hadn't even taken a single break.

"I haven't. Not since I forced her to eat that sushi during the survival exam."

Kakashi sighed in exasperation before standing up. He looked down to Sasuke seriously. Sasuke returned the look with an arched eyebrow. "We need to talk, _now._"

Before Sasuke could respond, Kakashi started walking in the direction of the village. He sighed in aggravation before following his sensei, knowing exactly what he wanted to talk about.

"Hey Hikari." I pulled the last kunai out of the target board and looked back to see Sakura and Naruto coming over. They both looked kind of nervous. I raised an eyebrow and walked towards them.

"Is something wrong?"

"Well we were talking to Kakashi-sensei," Sakura began as she twiddled her fingers. "And he told us some things-."

"Why aren't you taking care of yourself?!" Naruto exclaimed, obviously tired of waiting for Sakura. "Are you trying to kill yourself Hikari?! Starving yourself and becoming insomniac are stupid! Especially when people care about you!"

He let that all out in one breath and Sakura glared at him for interrupting her. I blinked in surprise. ~They're more observant than I gave them credit for. These dark circles underneath weren't that noticeable when I last looked. ~

"I'm not committing suicide Naruto," I reassured with a small grin. "I honestly just didn't have time to pack lunch today."

"That's no excuse!"

"Sasuke said that you hadn't eaten in four days," Sakura added, putting her hands on her hips. "What kind of diet is that? I don't even go _that _far." She narrowed her eyes at me. "And your eyes are red from lack of sleep. Believe me; I know what happens when a girl doesn't get her beauty sleep."

~I could weasel my way out of this…but there's really no point. It's not like I committed a crime or anything and Naruto would probably only worry more if I twisted my words to match the situation. Guess they got me then.~

"You're right about everything," I said in my normal happy tone. They looked at me like I was crazy because of the voice I used. I rubbed the back of my head with a guilty face. "I haven't eaten since the morning I went over to Sasuke's four days ago and I think I've gotten two hours of sleep in this past time as well. But you don't need to worry about me. I can take good care of myself."

"Obviously not." I acknowledged the angry Uchiha coming over, hands thrust into his pockets and eyes narrowed. He stopped right in front of me and looked me in the eyes seriously. "Since I'm being forced to watch your every move."

I arched an eyebrow in uncertainty. I saw Kakashi standing on the other side of the clearing lazily. He motioned to Naruto and Sakura before yelling out that training was being cut short today. Naruto was upset and had to look at me one more time before sprinting to Kakashi. Sakura did the same but her expression was filled more with jealousy. Sasuke didn't speak for a few moments before continuing.

"Kakashi told me to make sure that you ate at least three times a day and to make sure you slept at least 7 hours every night." I opened my mouth to ask a question but he cut me off. "He asked _me _because I'm supposedly the one responsible for your condition." He glared at me fiercely. "But don't think this is the end of our bet. You'll still have to do whatever I wish everyday."

"What did Kakashi say exactly?"

"Does it matter, loser?"

We stood there for a few moments before I sighed in defeat and looked away from him.

~I shouldn't defy Kakashi. He is in charge after all and our relationship is growing in a way. I wouldn't want to hurt the chances of making him into a powerful ally.~

"Sounds like you actually care."

"Why wouldn't I?" I looked back to him with confusion and shock in my eyes. He looked at me in apathy. "In case you haven't noticed, you're the only person on the team that I associate with. If you were gone, it'd be me, the morons, and our perverted sensei."

I grinned slightly. ~He's glad that I'm on his team and I guess I really didn't pay attention to that bit about him talking to me. Maybe we're on our way to becoming friends.~

"But don't think we're anything more than comrades." I frowned as he continued in the same arrogant voice. "I'm just saying that I'd rather have you around then the other three."

"Gee, Thanks…" I said sarcastically.

I sighed and looked away. ~So much for that idea.~

"So what do I need to do first?" I wore a frown when I looked back into his eyes and he spoke.

"We'll go-." He was interrupted by a shriek from above. We looked up immediately and saw a black crow circling high above us. A tinge of white was on its leg and I guessed it was a message.

"That's Icatai's bird," I said happily, raising my arm up to it. "There's a message on its leg." My voice became slightly worried. "I hope he's alright." It started to descend and Sasuke took a few steps back to give it space. It landed on my forearm and I lowered my arm.

The bird stood there quietly, waiting for me to take the message. I swiftly untied it and unrolled the small scroll with one hand.

Held up in the Cloud. Artist and puppeteer. Back within the week.

IH

"Looks like I'll be alone for another week," I said with a disappointed sigh. "He's held up in the Cloud Country."

"Hayate?" Sasuke prodded, his face becoming uneasy at the mention of that name. I nodded and he groaned lowly. "Dang it…." I looked at him questionably. He mumbled under his breath, "Kakashi's going to talk to you about it."

"Alright." I didn't press any further because Kakashi called us over. I looked over Sasuke's shoulder and saw him, Naruto, and Sakura walking towards the village. Sakura was glaring back at me over her shoulder and Naruto was glaring at Sasuke.

I took out a pen. I quickly wrote a short response, telling him to also say hello to Sasori and Dei as well as thanks for the awesome gift of clay and vials from last week. I scribbled down a few words reassuring them that everything was great in Konoha and told them to replay this to the others. After the last line, I pocketed the utensil and tied the message back to the bird's leg.

"Take this back to your master," I commanded, tossing my arm up to signal it to take off. It flew off in the direction of the Cloud with the note attached. "Let's go then." Sasuke nodded and we soon caught up with the group.

We split up when we came at an intersection. Naruto headed towards his house and Sakura walked with him seeing as her house was in the same direction. Kakashi, Sasuke, and I waited at the intersection for a few minutes, both of them waiting for me to make a move. I sighed lowly and finally turned to face Kakashi. He leaned against a light pole silently with his hands in his pockets. I opened my mouth to speak when he beat me to it.

"Sasuke," he called in a cheerful voice. His eye crinkled into a smile as he spoke with added happiness. "Go ahead home. I'll watch over her for awhile then escort her over soon after."

He looked from me to Kakashi and back as if making sure I was okay with everything. I nodded to him with a small nervous smile. He looked back up to Kakashi.

"Whatever," he scoffed as he walked by. He looked over his shoulder. "You're explaining everything to her Kakashi." He turned back forward and sauntered off.

When he was out of earshot, Kakashi crossed his arms and stared at me intently. "Explain to me exactly why you haven't been taking care of your body recently." His eyes didn't have their natural bored and lazy feel. They were serious and cunning.

"I've had a lot of things going on recently," I answered with slight innocence in my words. "I just haven't had the time to take breaks to eat."

"That doesn't explain your sleeping habit."

"Practicing at night is the only time I can train myself, seeing that my schedule is filled with work." Kakashi knew I was talking about Sasuke when I mentioned the constant work. "Without Icatai here, I guess I don't have someone to scold me about it constantly."

He shifted his weight to his other leg before speaking again. "Did you have a problem with something like this in the past?" He arched an eyebrow at me and I tensed unnoticeably. "Or is this the first occurrence?"

"…Now that I think about it. I did kind of the same thing a few years back when Icatai and I were separated for a few weeks." I looked away from him sadly as if recalling a painful memory. "He was late coming back from a mission and I was worried. He'd never come back late, he hardly ever came back on time. He was always early." I sighed shortly. "I worked myself to death. I did nothing but train. I was going to bring him back myself if I had to. I was stupid to think that I could face Anbu ranked shinobi after a few days of severe practice."

'A few years ago, I was among the ranks of Anbu captains. I could have handled a half dozen of them at my level.'

"What was the outcome? Obviously your guardian survived but what was the reason for his absence?"

I looked up to him with a small fake smile. "It turned out to be a happy ending. I'd actually like to share the whole story with all four of you. You may see a new light in Icatai after hearing it."

'Once I decide what to make the ending like…Why was I gifted with nearly foolproof lying and acting capabilities? Recently, they've been so well tempered that _I_ can hardly tell if what I say is the truth or not. I'm living in a world of falsehoods. All because of this one mission.'

He nodded in acceptance but still looked at me intently. He spoke after a minute of silence. "Let's go get you some lunch." He smiled cheerfully in his normal happiness. I was surprised by his sudden mood swing couldn't help but smile and nod in return. He motioned one hand towards the street. "Ladies first."


	20. Chapter 20: Kakashi's Orders

Kakashi's Pov

I walked at a leisurely pace, forcing Hikari to also. A casting glance showed her deep in thought. Her dark brown eyes stared off into space and narrowed at times. I suppressed the low laugh in my throat at her involuntarily childlike gesture.

'Lack of nourishment continuing for four days plus lack of sleep would affect any shinobi, even if it was just a paling of the skin. Hikari is still a child but it doesn't look like this had caused her any problems whatsoever. Her personality hasn't varied from normal and her eyes are not bloodshot, nor did they droop at all during any training session or "mission". Either she is lucky enough to have the ability to not need nourishment at lengthy times or she has been abused into the act so much that her body no longer responds.'

I sighed lowly and proceeded to stare straight ahead at the street full of people.

"Is something wrong sensei?" I glanced at my student from the corner of my eye. She looked up to me in sincere concern. I grinned cheerfully and turned my head to face her, masking my suspicious thoughts.

"Nothing at all," I said with the same sincerity. "Just getting lost in my thoughts." I looked back forward after receiving an understanding nod.

'She seems so pure and untainted. It's a wonder that she's able to be a shinobi and still be so innocent about everything. Rumors have been spreading that she's been on many missions with Hayate, missions that a Genin would never be allowed to attend. Yet, at training, she seems to be at the same level as Sasuke. She's holding back for sure, but the rumors could also be false……Reconnaissance missions always have hundreds of possible solutions. I wouldn't be surprised if mine were to continue for a few months before I found out anything about Hikari.'

"Is that Sasuke?" I snapped out of my thoughts and looked where Hikari was gesturing. Sure enough, my aloof student was sitting in a window seat in a small diner not far away from us. "What's he doing? He just ate lunch."

"Oh! Right! I told him to wait for you!" I grinned and scratched the back of my head sheepishly.

"Why? Sasuke said you were going to explain some things to me. Did you want him to be there when you did so?"

I grinned and thought about what I'd said to Sasuke earlier.

"Yeah. It'll be more fun to see your reaction with him in the room." My tone was playfully serious and Hikari looked up to me with a slight frown.

"Is it really that bad?" she asked with a slight sigh. "Sasuke didn't seem to like the idea earlier. He wouldn't even speak to me about it." I noticed her cross her arms and look back ahead towards Sasuke with the same frown marring her flawless face.

I let out a short chuckle before putting a hand on her lower back to lead her into the diner. She stiffened slightly at my touch but soon relaxed. She looked up to me and I could only grin broadly.

"It depends on what you consider bad. In this case…I find it quick funny to be honest." I pointed one finger up as a gesture. "But necessary nonetheless."

She didn't press the matter but I could tell by looking at her that her mind was reeling with possibilities.

The bell chimed when I opened the wooden door and a waitress greeted us. We both nodded in acknowledgement to the hyperactive teenager before turning to the table near the window.

I looked to the second seat and found my other student. He was staring at Hikari intently, an emotionless mask covering his face. I put my hand back at my side and made my way over with Hikari at my side. Sasuke looked from her to me when we both stopped at the edge of the two person table.

I felt Hikari's eyes on me as well and I motioned for her to take a seat. She obliged and crossed her arms on the table. She looked at Sasuke with a question in her eyes and he stared back indifferently. They stared at each other for a few moments and I could feel the tension in the air.

"So…" Sasuke spoke after a while. "He told you everything about this week?"

Hikari shook her head. "No. He said he wanted us to be together when he told me." Sasuke stiffened almost unnoticeably before he turned to glare at me sharply. Hikari looked back to me slightly confused. "He said it would be _funny _to see my reaction with you in the room."

"Kakashi…" Sasuke's tone was low and menacing but I paid no heed to it. I smiled brightly and leaned forward to press my palms against the counter's surface. I looked back and forth between my two students before stopping on Hikari. Her highly curious expression made me laugh.

"Hikari… I've ordered Sasuke to be with you 24/7 until your condition improves, meaning when you regain all your lost hours of sleep and retain your natural skin tone." Her eyes widened ever so slightly before narrowing in a slight glare.

"You mean-."

"Exactly. He'll be staying at your house every night for the next week."

Hikari's Pov

~Is that it? I thought it was going to be something far worse the way he and Sasuke talked about it. Sasuke staying the night isn't really all that bad. I used to spend the night with him every night a few years ago. Though…he was only seven but it still didn't matter. I actually enjoyed the company.~

I quickly played the part of being shocked and slightly angry at Kakashi for this "punishment" for my recent eating and sleeping habits. I noticed Sasuke turn his attention to me when I opened my mouth to speak.

"Why are you making Sasuke stay with me?" I asked calmly. "Wouldn't it be more appropriate if I had Sakura with me instead?"

Kakashi smiled his one-eyed grin and looked amused. "It would if you two weren't constantly bickering about pointless things."

I narrowed my eyes at him for that comment. He seemed to catch my drift because he quickly spoke and raised his hands in defense.

"Not that _you _were to blame for those pointless fights," he said with a nervous laugh. "Anyway, it _is_ partiallySasuke's fault that you haven't had any time to take care of yourself so this counts as a punishment for him as well."

I looked back to Sasuke and saw him with his eyes closed and his chin resting in his hands. He looked highly agitated.

"Well! I guess that's all there is to say!" Kakashi stood up straight and waved to us. "I'll see you both bright and early for our mission tomorrow. We'll meet at the bridge like normal!" He began to walk away but stopped when he remembered something. "Oh and Sasuke. Be a gentlemen and buy Hikari some lunch while you're at it." My eyes widened slightly. "See ya later!"

I turned my head to Kakashi quickly in surprise but he was already out the door. ~That man…is looking for a death wish from Sasuke.~ I looked at Sasuke cautiously and was surprised with the face I met.

He didn't look angry or upset anymore. He looked…content? I didn't understand why he would be _content _with this predicament so I remained quiet, contemplating many possibilities. He raised his hand to signal a waitress and I looked at him suspiciously. What was he doing?

The waitress came over quickly and Sasuke told her a few things he wanted to order, too many things for just himself. When she walked away, I finally spoke up.

"You don't have to stay with me tonight if you don't want to Sasuke," I spoke with a small smile. His eyes were still closed and he began to frown. "I promise to keep it a secret if you decide to skip out on Kakashi's orders. So you can go home and-."

"What makes you think I was only ordered to watch over you?" I closed my mouth and listened to him. His eyes opened up and he narrowed them at me. "For all you know Kakashi could have blackmailed me into this. And even if I did skip, we'd be found out. He'll probably check if I'm with you later tonight. Besides…" He took a sip of the water the waitress had set down in front of him. "I'm not one to disobey orders."

"Guess you've got a point," I sighed with another small grin. I looked at all the food Sasuke had ordered for the both of us. "But you could have ignored Kakashi and let me buy my own food. I'm not broke or anything."

He picked up a pair of chopsticks and began eating the curry in front of him. "Hurry up and eat so we can leave."

It irritated me that he didn't respond but I shook it off and picked up my chopsticks as well. The curry smelled great and my starving stomach made it out to be the greatest food on the planet. I ate it moderately, glancing to my teammate every once and a while, waiting for the reaction of him being angry to immerge at any second. He kept his eyes fixated on his food, only pausing to take a sip of water.

He must have finally grew agitated with me because he let out a long sigh and placed the utensils on the table, folded his arms to lay his chin on top of his hands, and stared at me intently. I placed my chopsticks down and waited for him to speak. It took him a few seconds but he finally complied.

"Look," he said seriously. "I'm _attempting _to put up with you. I don't know why, but you…interest me. If acting different around you gives me answers to my questions, I'll do it." What did he want to know about me? Was I really _that_ interesting? Or was he on to my act? I had to remain cautious around him.

He narrowed his eyes into a glare but I remained stable. I looked into his black orbs with happiness and curiosity, wondering what he was willing to do to get his questions answered.

"But…" he said sharply. "That is the _only _reason I'm even _trying _to live with you. So don't get used to it because it won't last."

~So he's sticking to his words. He wants only to be _comrades _on missions and such. What a distant life he's leading.~

I had to smile at how serious he was being. I noticed his eye twitch slightly in irritation at my happy expression. "You're very determined to be my enemy Sasuke," I said as I took another bite of the curry. "Either I'm a really terrible person or you're purposefully distancing yourself from everyone." I arched an eyebrow at him, curious to see his reaction to my assumption.

"My personal life is none of your concern and I suggest you mind your own business." His voice was icy and I could tell that I'd pressed one of his buttons. His coal black eyes were hard and angry, making him look even more severe.

~His personal life is a very touchy subject. Having him open up to me as a friend is going to be far more difficult than I imagined. Getting anywhere close to his locked heart is going to take a lot of work.~

I nodded an apology before finishing off the rest of my food. "But what makes you think that you'll learn anything about me?" I challenged as I leaned my elbows on the table. He had calmed down and was pushing his bowl to the side to take the same position. "Now that I know what you're doing, I can change all my true answers to lies or come up with stories instead of the real thing."

He smirked and stood from the table. "You could, but then I wouldn't know how to trust you later on." I blinked once in confusion. "If I can't rely on you to be honest, then how can I believe what you say on the battle front? That distrust could cost one of us much more than a simple broken bond."

I narrowed my eyes at him in irritation. He had me trapped. If he thought I was lying than our trust really would be weak. I sighed sadly inside. If he found out the truth about everything, my reliability would be shattered.

I sighed and stood from the table to look him straight in the eyes in determination. "You win Uchiha." I smiled innocently and tapped him on the forehead gently. He growled in his throat and clenched his teeth. "I hope you have fun "putting up" with me."

I began to walk away when he grabbed my wrist. I stopped and turned around cautiously, expecting him to be furious at my behavior. Instead, my eyes met with cooling black ones and he looked like he was attempting to control his temper. He let out a breath before speaking.

"I…need to get some things from home before I come over." It seemed like it took a lot of effort for him to keep from screaming at me. He was either really interested in my background or he was actually _trying _to be nice. I chose the first option.

"Alright." He released my wrist and tossed some money on the table before beginning to walk off. I was the one who stopped him this time. "We can walk together until we get to the junction in the road."

He looked back at me over his shoulder and nodded before opening the door to head outside. I smiled and hurried after him. I was finally getting _somewhere _with him and I was not going to miss out on the opportunity Kakashi made for me.

That last thought made me realize something. Kakashi was the one responsible forall of this! He was purposefully putting us together! Maybe he thought it would do Sasuke some good to be with the "little angel". I didn't really know why else he would put us with each other so much but I would find out eventually.

I watched Sasuke head off towards his house before taking the opposite way to my own. I kept my eyes fixated on the clouds above, thinking about what I would have to do when I arrived home. I was not looking forward to getting there at all. Needless to say, I had just remembered that all Itachi's "fan girls" had left there gifts for him on the porch today. I didn't even want to think about how many things were on the patio!

I yawned and looked straight ahead in time to see a familiar face turn a corner and walk down the same street as me. He was followed by his teammates and his childish sensei. Surprisingly, Kakashi was with them. My face brightened instantly and I made a dash for them.

"Kakashi-sensei! Guys! Wait up!"

Kakashi looked up from his book for a moment to confirm that I was not coming after him for revenge because of my punishment. When he saw my happy expression, he relaxed and went back to reading. The others looked back with different emotions. Guy and Lee both smiled brightly, Guy with stars in his eyes and Lee with hearts in his. Tenten gave me and friendly grin and greeting. Neji stood silently with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed partially.

"Hikari! Your spirit is as bright as usual!" Guy exclaimed as I slowed to a walk.

"My angel! You have returned!" Lee was about to tackle me with a hug but Tenten thankfully held him back. Neji still remained silent.

"It's good to see all of you again," I said brightly. I rubbed the back of my head with a mock nervous laugh. "I was actually hoping that I could ask you all a small favor."

Neji opened his mouth, probably to answer negatively, but Lee beat him to it. "Oh course we will help you!" he exclaimed, taking a heroic pose. "It is our duty as Konoha shinobi to help any maiden that requires our services!"

"You are right of course Lee!" Guy agreed, taking the same pose. "Lead the way!"

Tenten and Kakashi smiled sheepishly at the strange duo and Neji looked highly annoyed. I laughed slightly before turning back to the street.

"This way please." I began walking and felt them follow. I slowed slightly when I noticed Kakashi walking slightly faster. We both stepped in the same rhythm when he caught up. "Yes sensei?" I looked up to him but he kept his eyes on his book.

"Nothing," he said with boredom. "Just wondering why you didn't ask our team to help you out. You know Naruto would jump at the chance to do something for you."

I laughed. "But Sakura and Sasuke would probably rather die than help me with anything!" He shrugged and a small chuckle escaped his covered lips as he turned a page.

"You're probably right." He looked over to me. "Where is the lone wolf anyway?" I could tell he was wondering if Sasuke was skipping out on his job so I was quick to reply.

"He had to go home and pack a few things before coming over. Don't worry. He's not one to disobey orders." Kakashi nodded and returned his attention back to his novel.

I looked over my shoulder. Lee was right behind me with Guy at his side. They both looked excited while Neji looked like he was wondering how he had been dragged into this. Tenten hung back and talked to him, probably trying to lighten his mood.

A few minutes passed in silence before anyone spoke.

"What are we doing exactly?" the solemn Hyuga asked in apathy.

"Well…" I began. "I'm not entirely sure. But most likely a ton of lifting and moving things to a room on the 2nd floor."

"You're not sure? Then why do you need assistance?"

I felt him move up to walk beside me as well. I met his glaring pupil-less with my own. "I'm positive that there will be many wrapped packages on my porch steps. Lots of pink things, flowers, and stuffed animals."

"What?" He looked confused but quickly covered it up.

"It's my fault." I smiled and chuckled sheepishly. "I kind of told a ton of girls that Icatai's favorite color was pink and a bunch of random things like that. He's out of town now so the girls wanted to give him gifts for when he came back."

"Do you think that was a good idea, Hikari?" Tenten asked, coming up beside Neji. "I've heard he's not a man to mess with."

I laughed nervously. "Well I hope you'll come to my funeral." Neji smirked.

"You're incompetent, angering an Anbu. How foolish."

"Do not worry!" Lee exclaimed, interrupting him. "We shall all be at your side! I will protect you with my life angel!" He came in front of me, forcing me to stop, and grasped both my hands in his.

"T-That's very sweet of you," I said, slightly creeped out with his obsessive behavior. I pulled my hands from his when I noticed my house in the distance.

My eyes widened when we got closer. I couldn't see an inch of the patio and the presents stacked up to the height of Kakashi in most places.

"Please tell me this isn't your house."

I only nodded to her, still captivated with the amount of gifts. "Afraid so." She sighed wearily.

We stopped at the steps and looked at the giant mass of items. Kakashi whistled and put his book away.

"This could take some time," he said with a sigh. He looked down to me. "You owe us big time, kid."

I nodded. "Well…lets get started." I heard Guy and Lee shout in happiness while Neji muttered a string of profanities.

I unlocked the door and placed a small heavy object in front to keep it open before lifting up a large box wrapped in pink polka-dot paper. Everyone else also had their hands full.

"The room's on the second floor," I said with a gesture towards the stairs. I led them inside and I heard Tenten gasp in awe.

"Wow!" She exclaimed as she looked around. "This place is gorgeous! How could you ever afford it?" We started to walk up the stairs. I thought about how I could answer her question without saying, 'I sometimes rob wealthy estates for missions' which was mostly where the money did come from.

"Icatai has been saving up for years," I lied smoothly. "He wanted to make sure that we lived in the lap of luxury after traveling so much."

"Cool. You'll have to tell me about all the awesome places sometime."

"Sure thing."

~I guess it couldn't hurt to tell her about my favorite places. As long as I don't mention any place close to the base.~ I asked them all to wait in the hallway for a moment. I used the excuse that Icatai's room was probably a mess and that I had to make sure it was appropriate for their eyes. I knew the excuse was stupid but it worked nonetheless.

I set my box against the far wall before searching the room for anything related to the Akatsuki. His cloak and all other things must have been well hidden because I didn't see a trace of them. That, or he decided to take them on his mission. I walked out a few minutes later and found them all leaning against walls of the hallway, boxes on the floor beside them.

"It's all clear. Just set everything against the far wall then we'll go from there."

Tenten and Kakashi nodded before lifting their boxes and entering the room. Somehow, Guy and Lee managed to carry twice as many boxes as everyone else and seemed to have twice as much energy. Neji followed the four silently.

They shuffled out of the room soon after and headed back to the porch. Neji was the last out and I stopped him by holding his wrist. He narrowed his eyes and looked forward to the direction he was headed.

"Is there something you need?" he asked solemnly. I waited until the others were gone before speaking.

"I'm having a friend stay over tonight and I need to prepare everything for him. I'll be back to help in a while. Can you be in charge until then?"

He still didn't look back, but he nodded. "I suppose, but why not ask Kakashi? You should trust him more than myself."

I let him go and turned to walk towards the stairs leading to the third floor. I felt him turn around to look at me with a calculating expression. I waved over my shoulder as a laugh left my lips.

"I should, but if I left him in charge, nothing would get done! He has a habit of taking his time with everything."

"I see…" I heard him murmur, thinking to himself. "Where should we put the packages when that room fills up?"

~Fills up? I guess we'll be using more than just Itachi's room. Should've thought about that before I told those gossiping girls about his _favorite _things.~

"Umm…I should be done by then but if not, put them in this room." I tapped the door as I walked by. "Thanks for everything Neji. Even if you were forced into this. I appreciate the help."

I heard his retreating footsteps as I made my way to the third floor.

It was just how Itachi and I had left it the first day, except for the now full cabinet in the corner that all those _games _were hidden in. I made my way to the six beds against the wall and began to prepare two of them.

~I guess my room's going to be filled at this rate. We'll be sleeping up here until Itachi gets back.~

I took the two best pillows and placed them at the head of each bed. More little things came after that until I was sure everything was alright.

I jogged up the stairs to the roof then walked over to the railing facing the Uchiha complex. A few quick hand seals enhanced my eyesight to magnifying levels. Sasuke was walking up the steps of his home at a leisurely pace.

~He won't be here for a few more hours at the rate he's moving.~ A sigh left my lips as I deactivated the jutsu. ~He's not going to help with the boxes after all.~

I hurried down to my room after thinking about all the items I would need from it for the next few days. I packed a small box with clothes, hygienic items, and any other thing I would need. After placing the box on one of the beds, I made my way to the porch to meet the others.

Everyone outside was picking up more boxes. Neji lead the way back inside with two huge vases of flowers. After observing everyone for a few moments, I realized he was setting an unsaid pace for everyone else.

Seeing him move quickly with a heavy load made Guy and Lee push themselves to carry twice as much as him and move twice as fast, pilling things in the room quickly. Tenten didn't want to be left behind with Kakashi so she moved almost as fast as Neji.

~Smart idea.~ I watched Kakashi pick up one of the heaviest boxes on the porch and place it on his shoulder. The book had made its way out again but it didn't keep him from doing his task, only slowed the process.

I hoisted a pink tub full of stuffed animals and chocolates into my arms and followed quickly, eager to finish this chore.

I shut the door to my room quickly after pushing the last box in. The box fell against the door when I began to push and it would have knocked me off balance if Neji hadn't helped push the door to a close.

I sighed and wiped my forehead. Each one of the Genin were panting, even the Jounin looked winded. ~Two hours of lifting and climbing stairs can be really tiring. Especially having to carry up enough gifts to fill four rooms.~

Neji and I leaned against the door and caught our breaths. "Phew," Tenten sighed after a while as she straightened up. "That was some favor. I don't think I've ever seen so much pink in my life." She smiled wearily to me and I grinned back.

"If I never see a pink flower again, it'll be too soon." I said as I pushed myself from the door. I looked over to the group and pulled two envelopes from my pocket, each containing payment for each individual.

When I tried to hand it to Guy, he put up his hands and smiled brightly. "We cannot accept your money Hikari!" he exclaimed. "We were all happy to help out for free! Right team!"

He gave his team a thumbs-up. Neji and Tenten looked at him like he was crazy for refusing but Lee was quick to repeat the gesture.

"Of course Guy-sensei!" he exclaimed in the same joyful tone. "I am happy to assist my angel in any task she may need in return for nothing!"

"Lee, I am so proud to have you as my student! What an honorable thing to do!"

"Thank you Guy-sensei! Kakashi-sensei! You believe the same thing, correct?"

I turned my attention from the amusing scene to Kakashi. He was in the process of opening his envelope when all our eyes met his. He blinked in confusion before nodding to Lee and reluctantly handing back the envelope, grumbling something under his breath. I could only grin to him.

"Are you sure? It's really not a problem. I have plenty of-."

"Do not say another word Hikari!" Guy exclaimed as he struck yet another pose. "We have already made our decision!"

"Yes! Anything for you angel!"

I laughed sheepishly and nodded. "T-Thanks."

I led them to the porch, the darkness of night beginning to set in.

"Again, thanks for everything guys."

"It was our honor to help an angel such as you! Let me know if you ever require assistance again!"

"You'll be the first to know," I replied, finally getting used to his awkward personality……Maybe not. I don't know if I could _ever_ get used to it much less comfortable with it.

Tenten somehow read my thoughts and was quick to drag Lee off the porch. "We'll keep in touch!" she yelled back as she dragged Lee away with her. He was still yelling goodbyes and I waved back slightly.

"Keep your youthfulness shining bright Hikari!" Guy took a dramatic pose and gave me a thumbs-up and a twinkling smile. "Live life to the fullest!" I nodded with a grin. "Well, see ya later! You to Kakashi! Our rivalry shall continue!"

Kakashi wasn't paying attention so I jabbed him with my elbow as unnoticeably as I could. He looked up quickly to Guy with an innocent smile and cheerful expression.

"Oh. Right. Later Guy."

"Gah! I hate your "I'm-so-cool" attitude Kakashi! But that will not stop me from defeating you!" He marched off in determination, probably off to plan a way to beat Kakashi at……something.

That left me, Neji, and Kakashi on the porch. Until Kakashi remembered his novel in my living room. I had taken it from him earlier so he could use both hands to carry things. It was currently hidden on the bookshelf, among hundreds of others.

"Where is my book exactly?" He asked in a happy voice. I couldn't help but grin at his antics to find the location of the book.

"On the shelf in my living room. You'll have to find it yourself if you want it though."

He shrugged and opened the door. "Shouldn't be too hard. It is bright orange after all." He walked inside and left me and the mysterious Hyuga alone.

I turned to the silent boy and found him staring at me intently. His arms were crossed loosely and his Byakugan was activated for some reason. I felt kind of self conscious under his gaze and I shifted my weight from one foot to the other.

"W-What are you doing?" I asked, slightly nervous and trying to come up with a reasonable way to handle this situation.

~What is he looking at…or for? Has he seen anything suspicious? ~

"N-Neji?" When he continued looking me over, I began to fidget in anxiety before finally lashing out and covering his eyes with both my hands.

He froze and grunted lowly at the force that pushed him back a step. I felt his Byakugan deactivate under my palms as well as the narrowing of his eyes into a glare. He reached up and gripped my wrists firmly.

"Sorry. What were you doing?" I asked again. "It was making me uncomfortable the way you were staring so intently."

He didn't pull my hands away to my surprise but he did loosen his grip slightly. "I was getting a more analyzed picture of your chakra network," he said lowly, not at all embarrassed that he'd been starring at a woman like that. I frowned at this and was about to speak when he began. "However, I'm still curious about what the stream looks like when it flares."

He pulled my hands from his eyes but still held them firmly as he looked into my dark orbs seriously. Neither of us spoke for a few moments, but I knew what he wanted.

~He's waiting for me to show him a jutsu. Good luck. The only time you'd ever see that would be during a fight. I'm not one to just reveal things like that to those I've never seen do battle.~

"…Would you consider becoming my temporary training partner?"

I resisted the urge to gape at his request. ~Judging by his cocky yet completely serious look, I can tell he's not one to ask for something like this. He's positive that I'll say yes to "the Great Neji Hyuga's" request. Arrogant boy. Let's give his huge ego a dent. It'll do him some good.~

It still took me a moment to respond with a small smirk on my face. "Only so you can witness my chakra during a jutsu? What's in it for me? Why should I waste my time playing experiment when I could do some real training with a worthy opponent?"

His grip tightened on my wrists and his eyes flashed in anger. I kept my small smirk in place while looking at him innocently otherwise.

"Are you implying that I am unworthy of being your opponent?" His voice was low and sharp. He glared into my eyes again with his kekki-genki reactivated. He was challenging me by activating it and my smirk only grew when I closed my eyes.

Right before I opened my eyes, I froze. What the heck was I doing?! I was about to show him my Sharingan at full power! That's what I would normally do when challenged, but doing so now could get me killed.

I shuddered in slight fear at the thought of being discovered. The thought of being ripped away from people important to me once again.

I opened my normal auburn orbs quickly and narrowed them in acceptance. If it was a challenge he was declaring, I was not going to disappoint.

"Think you can prove me wrong?" He smirked slightly and dropped my wrists, satisfied with my answer. He made his way down the steps.

"Come to Training Field 4 at fourteen hundred hours." His voice was back to its firm, no-tolerance tone. "Be prepared and punctual. Wasting my time is out of the question. You're there on time or the training partnership is cancelled...permanently." He stopped at the bottom of the steps but didn't turn around. "Consider yourself honored that I consider you _worth _my time."

"I'll be ready," I said with a bit of bite. He was getting me worked up slightly but I was able to calm down before speaking again. "It's _you _I'm worried about." I saw his sudden, almost unnoticeable tinge of anger but didn't notice the small smile on his lips. He nodded as he began to walk off, confidence in each step.

~Tomorrow at fourteen hundred hours. Just saying two in the afternoon would have sufficed.~ I shrugged and looked back to see Kakashi in the doorway. His book was shut but still rested in his hand. He smiled that cheerful innocent grin I had seen so many times. Many, and if not all those times were when he was up to something.

I arched an eyebrow before just smiling back to him, not knowing and not really caring what he had done. "You found your book? I thought it would have taken you longer."

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Guess I'm just lucky." He opened his eye when he thought of something. "I heard the end of your conversation. You two don't seem to get along well."

I laughed slightly and leaned against the railing on the porch. "Yeah, but he does interest me too. I'd like to face a Hyuga in combat. So…is it alright if I meet with him to train maybe twice a week?"

Kakashi looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "I don't really see the problem. As long as it's not during a mission."

"Thanks sensei. Maybe you're not so bad."

"You thought I was _bad_?"

"What?! No of course not! It was just a figure of speech!" I stood up straight and looked at him slightly flabbergasted. He was looking at me with a downcast expression and I felt kind of bad. "I really do like you Kakashi-sensei! You're an awesome teacher! One of my favorites!"

He instantly brightened and strode down the steps like nothing had happened. I watched him with narrowed eyes, knowing that his expression had only been an act.

"I knew I was awesome," he said with a chuckle. "But I didn't know I was your _favorite _teacher."

"I didn't say you were my favorite Kakashi-sensei."

He looked disheartened again and he slumped his shoulders in sadness. "You don't like me Hikari?" He looked back with a large pouting eye.

"_Kakashi._" I said in irritation. I crossed my arms and stared at him solemnly. He seemed to catch my drift because he put up his hands in defense.

"Alright. Alright." He said in a playful voice. "I got it. Just messing around."

We both sensed a familiar presence and turned to the source, though we knew who it was. His head was bowed slightly and one of his hands was stuffed in his pockets, the other gripping the strap of his backpack. Black locks fell in damp, yet sharp strands in front of his face at seemingly defined angles.

"Here comes our lone avenger now. Guess I'll be on my way." He began to walk down the steps as he whistled merrily. "I look forward to dinner for my services tonight."

"I guess that's fair." I waved after him and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

I soon turned back to Sasuke who was a few houses down. Those feelings of happiness and comfort from earlier resurfaced and I wished he would get here faster.

"Hey Sasuke!"

He looked up at the sound of his name, his dark eyes nearly matching the coming darkness. He nodded his head in acknowledgement when he caught sight of me on the porch. I hoped that this would be the start of a real friendship with him, even if he wanted nothing.

When he made it up to the porch, we both walked into the house. I showed him the bottom floor of the house on one side before turning to the other.

I gasped slightly when I pointed to the living room. My bookshelf was completely bare. All hundred and some books I had spent hours organizing were scattered all over the floor in random disarray, many partially opened with bent or ripped pages.

Sasuke arched an eyebrow at the mess and looked at me questionably. I clenched my fists and could feel the tremor that was forming on my head.

~Kakashi…I'm going to kill you!~


	21. Chapter 21: Gambling and Training?

Disclaimer: Yeah......I didn't think about putting one up until two minutes ago. So here it is. (clears throat) I do not own Naruto but I wish I did. ^_^Good Enough

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Hikari's Pov

"And this, is where we'll be sleeping." I finished off the short tour by pointing out the queen-sized beds on the upper floor.

Sasuke nodded once again and dropped his backpack on the empty bed beside the wall. I was still cooling down from the book incident downstairs that I hadn't cleaned up yet. Kakashi could be a real jerk when he wanted to be. I should have stopped him when I saw that mischievous smile!

I took another calming breath and noticed Sasuke turning back to me, hands stuffed in his pockets. I didn't notice at first but it was becoming more evident when I kept my eyes on him. Each time we made eye contact, his eyes would divert from mine and look somewhere else before coming back to mine only to divert again.

~He looks nervous. I never would have imagined him like that around me.' I sighed before taking his forearm and proceeding to drag him across the room. I felt him tense and he attempted to shake me off.

"Let go," he demanded coldly, finally speaking. I reluctantly released him but was already at the destination so it didn't matter.

I opened up the cabinet and revealed every game that was here for him to witness. "Maybe we can find something to do in here. Have a game preference?" I looked back to him and couldn't suppress a laugh.

A light pink blush had spread across his face and his eyes were slightly wider than normal. He was staring straight at all the provocative games but quickly shook his head and scoffed when he heard me. He looked away from all the games and shrugged.

"Pick whatever." He didn't sound the least bit interested. The pink tinge still lingered and I thought it was cute. I'd never seen Sasuke blush before. It suited him. "I don't play board games so I won't know what I'm doing."

"Got it." I stood on the tips of my toes to see over the top shelf. I pushed some games to the sides in my search for a deck of cards. They were against the back…of course. "Shoot." I couldn't reach them by a good five inches. I hated being short, even though I was five-five, I still considered myself short to everyone else.

I settled back onto my heels before jumping to increase my arm span. I grabbed the cards and landed softly.

"Cards?" He arched an eyebrow, wondering what we could play with them that would be of any interest.

"Yeah. Have you ever played Poker?" He shook his head.

"Never. But I've watched people play it before."

I nodded and smiled. "Then I'll teach you!" I said happily. I cleared off a nearby table before taking a seat. "I bet you'd be great. You always seem to wear a poker face so it should be simple."

He glared at me slightly for the comment but didn't retort, knowing I was right. He took the seat opposite of me, arms crossed on the table. I quickly shuffled and dealt the cards. He picked them up with a hand and glance back, awaiting directions.

"Alright, to play this game, you need to keep your face stone cold and apathetic. They key is to deceive your opponents into thinking the opposite. Reverse-psychology is used many times and so is the idea of making the opponents think what they are thinking is wrong and forcing them to use reverse-psychology on themselves." I paused to see if he understood so far. His eyes were calculating and his mind was registering everything.

"So seeing behind deception is the key to winning?" I smiled and nodded. "Doesn't sound too difficult."

"I told you you'd be good at it." He didn't react to my statement and listened for more instructions. I sighed shortly. "Now that we have that established, the rules will be easier to explain. The first step is…"

Sasuke's Pov

I placed my hand onto the table with a smirk, loving the way Hikari's cocky expression fell immediately. I collected the small items in the center we were using as wagers. They were just random things we'd found in the room.

Hikari had found a coupon to the ramen store the idiot always went to in her pocket, five bucks underneath a bed, and two pieces of hard candy she claimed to have found somewhere. I was not going to take any chances by eating them. I had put in a few bucks as well and a couple shuriken I'd brought.

"A-A royal flush? In diamonds?!" She had been in the process of reaching to take the items when she'd set down her hand, but mine had beaten hers. "Dang it!" She hit the table firmly once before crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. She returned her hard gaze back to me. "Are you sure you've never played before?"

"Never." I looked to her as she collected the cards. "It doesn't look like you've ever had any experience playing either."

She glared at me playfully. "Trash talking me, eh?" She dealt the cards and I snatched them up confidently. "Well, Uchiha..." She pulled out something from her weapon pouch and tossed it into the middle of the table.

It was a strange kunai knife. An etching carved up the side and the grip looked like small spikes stuck out on the sides. It was intriguing. I'd never seen anything like it before.

"Put your _money _where your mouth is." I complied and tossed in all my _earnings _that I'd just collected plus my folded up demon-wind shuriken.

"I accept your challenge Hikari, but I'm warning you." I fixed my face to its poker style and continued talking in monotone. "You're going to lose."

Her face shifted into the same style as did her tone. "You wish." And the "battle" began.

"No way! You must have cheated! I couldn't have lost again!" Hikari sighed and watched me take her knife with regret in her eyes. "Guess the student has surpassed his teacher."

I looked up to her smugly. "You've lost your touch _sensei_," I voiced with a cocky laugh. We'd played the best of five and I'd won on our fifth game.

She sighed and looked over her shoulder at the clock hanging on the wall. I followed her gaze. 10:54.

"That late already? Guess time flies when you're getting smoked at poker." I smirked at her pouting expression before standing from the table. Hikari followed suit and made her way to a door on the far side of the wall after grabbing the bag off her bed. "I need to get ready for bed." She waved a hand over her shoulder. "Feel free to do whatever you want. You can go to sleep whenever you desire."

I arched an eyebrow towards the now closed door. ~She trusts me enough to give me full access of her home? Hmm...~ I smiled evilly as my thoughts roamed to the possibilities of getting revenge for all the things she'd done to me but part of my conscience surfaced for some reason. I frowned at the slight nagging in my chest, telling me that revenge was not the right way to do things.

I groaned lowly when I couldn't shake the feeling and decided that I was too exhausted to enact any revenge at the level I owed her. I decided instead to make my way down the stairs to the living room Hikari had mentioned before. If I was going to have to wait for Hikari to fall asleep first then I needed some entertainment.

The books still scattered the floor and I smirked at the mess. Kakashi was in for it tomorrow for sure. I scanned over the covers of the ones closest to me, knowing that I wouldn't be able to get to the ones across the room without stepping on other books. One title caught my attention immediately and I reached down to grab it.

_Classified: Missing-Nin._ ~This is a collection of biographies of rogue ninjas from all over the world…including Konoha…including Itachi.~ I felt my anger rising and quickly shook my head. I was _not_ going to think about _him _now.

I jumped over the disorganized pile again before entering the kitchen area. A bowl of pineapple was on the top shelf of the fridge and I took it without a second thought before walking up the stairs leisurely. When I reached the second floor, I glanced to the four rooms.

The first door led to Icatai Hayate's. Saying I didn't like the man would be the understatement of the year. I _despised _him for a reason that I didn't know. I was glad he was not in the village. I didn't really want him to return.

I reached the third floor and found that Hikari was still in the bathroom so I took my time getting ready. I placed the fruit on the table in order to discard my shirt and throw it at my back pack. My sandals, leg and arm warmers, and my headband soon followed. While leaning against the head post of the bed, I turned to the first chapter of the biography book after reading the back. It supposedly had information on many shinobi betraying their villages. The stories ranging from hundreds of years ago to present day, all arranged in alphabetical order.

I was tempted to skip directly to the last shinobi in the book, knowing that _he _would be there, knowing that my brother would be mentioned among the most vile traitors in the history of the ninja world.

My fingers clutched the book tightly as I gritted my teeth against each other. Our story was part of these murder pages. That fueled my rage once again and I needed to be sidetracked quickly.

Fortunately before I lost it, Hikari stepped out of the bathroom. A black nightgown adorned her features and just reached her knees. I noticed that she was wearing a black necklace but the pendent was hidden underneath the gown. Her hair was wet and water droplets hung on the ends of some of the strands. It stuck to her slightly rose tinted face and some strands hung in her face rebelliously. She held her former clothes, headband, and sandals and began to walk over.

"What are you reading?" She asked, a small blush forming on her cheeks. I suppressed the smirk that tried to break out.

I showed her the cover of the novel, my eyes keen on the page I was reading. I noticed her stiffen and frown after reading it and immediately wondered if she had a fear of missing-nin. ~There's a chance she actually met a few. Something's definitely happened for her to have that reaction.~

I didn't question it, but went back to skimming over the first biography. "Go to sleep," I commanded in apathy, gesturing to the bed. She furrowed her eyebrows but didn't question me and slipped into the bed. "The sooner you fall asleep, the sooner I can."

She opened her mouth, most likely to argue but I gave her a stern look and she closed it. Our eyes stared into each other's for a few moments before she sighed and sunk under the covers with a yawn.

"Whatever makes you happy," she said with a small smile. I watched her tuck herself in and cuddle against the pillow. The action made her look like a little kid. "Night Sasuke."

I nodded and watched her intently for a few moments, making sure she was actually going to sleep. "Night, loser."

Hikari smiled slightly and let out a small laugh before giving in to unconsciousness. I plopped a piece of pineapple into my mouth before turning back to the interesting book in my hands.

Hikari's Pov

~Is he ever going to fall asleep?~ I'd stayed in the same position for 30 minutes, regulating my breathing to make it look like I was sleeping. I could still hear him flipping pages every so often and I was getting annoyed. How was I supposed to train if he never went to sleep?

I didn't really _need _to train, but I was becoming used to the midnight activity. Almost craving the time of the day when I could use my level of chakra freely, only having to be cautious if a shinobi was in the vicinity. I _needed _to let out all the built up power or I'd feel awful later.

I finally heard him yawn after a few more minutes, followed by the rustle of blankets when he got up to turn off the lights. Darkness reigned when they went out. He wandered back over and I felt a triumphant smile form on my lips, knowing he couldn't see it in the dark.

It startled me when he placed his hand against my forehead. I barely remained neutral to his cold touch. He kept his palm there for a few moments before brushing it off and pulling himself into bed.

After ten more minutes passed, I cautiously opened my eyes. Sasuke's back faced me and his breathing was deep. I waited ten more minutes before slipping silently out from under the blankets. I stealthily walked to the end of the bed and found the bad I'd left there earlier, activating my Sharingan briefly to enhance my vision in the darkness.

I slipped on the clothes and shoes before climbing up onto the window's ledge, looking back one more time to assure he heard nothing. Sasuke slept on like a rock and I grinned triumphantly…until I turned around.

"What are you doing?"

I froze and reflexively took a step back and slipped off the ledge. I landed on my butt on the floor and looked up to him with a guilty expression on my face. ~Shoot.~

He stood barefoot on the ledge I'd just fallen back from and looked angry. He stared down at me intently; arms crossed over his bare torso and midnight colored eyes burning.

"H-Hey Sasuke," I said nervously, sending him a short wave. He didn't look amused. "How are…umm…" I couldn't think of anything under his penetrating gaze. I hated that all the Uchihas had that effect on me. I was fine with everyone else! I didn't get it and probably never would.

"Hey?" He arched and eyebrow and jumped off the window pane to land in front of me, towering over my form in the process. "Why did you think you could sneak out without me knowing? Do you really underestimate me that much?"

I opened my mouth to argue but quickly closed it and avoided his eyes. That was exactly what I'd done, not purposely, but I still had done it nonetheless. I sat up with my legs crossed and folded my arms over my chest loosely. If I had any chance of leaving tonight, I had to think this through.

"Sasuke…I want to train," I said seriously, looking him straight in the eyes. He returned the look, half glaring. "This is the best time train. Midnight."

"How is training in complete darkness helpful?" He asked with a hint of an arrogant smirk. I remained neutral and continued.

"I need to rely on my eyesight less often in battle. What if I lost my eyes or became temporarily blinded? I'd be finished." This seemed to make sense to him so he nodded for me to continue. "And, training at this time will allow me to use new techniques without other rival ninjas witnessing them before a fight. It's better to train at night for more reasons but these are a few. So…" I looked at him with huge wet eyes, much like the ones Kakashi gave to me. "Will you let me leave?"

All was quiet for a few minutes while Sasuke thought of an answer. I watched his face intently, searching for any signs of what he would say. He didn't show any. Finally, he squatted down to look me in the eyes. We were only a few inches apart and I felt a blush appear. He had protruded my personal space and I did not like it.

"No." ~What?!~ "Get back to sleep." With that, he stood back up and walked over to his bed without another word.

I stared after him with my mouth slightly agape. ~What a stupid move, thinking he wouldn't sense me leaving! No big deal. I can still go and train when he really does fall asleep. I could leave a clone in my place too.~

"Hikari." His voice was stern and cold and it brought me out of my thoughts. He was still angry with me. "I'm aware that you could just leave when I actually fall asleep…" We made eye contact again and I saw he was serious. "…"I'm trusting you not to."

My eyes widened. ~He's trusting me to go to sleep. What a jerk. Playing my weakness to gain his trust.~ I rolled my eyes and sighed before standing up and falling onto my bed, not bothering to remove my shoes or change into my gown.

I huffed stubbornly and turned on my side so my back faced him. "Night Sasuke," I said with a grimace. I heard him laugh slightly; knowing that he'd cornered me.

"Night Hikari."

~At least he didn't call me loser for once.~ With that last thought, I drifted off into my first hours of sleep in a few days.

The next morning was simple enough. I actually felt like I had some energy in my system when my eyes opened. I was extremely surprised when I walked into the kitchen to find Sasuke putting two plates filled with bacon and eggs onto the kitchen table. A bowl filled with pineapple came after them and then two cups of milk and silverware. When I questioned him, he didn't answer but instead told me to eat so we could get to the bridge to meet Kakashi. I obliged and happily ate the plate full of food. I didn't realize how great he was at cooking.

When Kakashi was once again late, I decided that this was the perfect time to enact my revenge on him. I told Sasuke my plan of action after we waited ten minutes and no one had shown up yet. He rolled his eyes and told me he would not have any part in it before we made our way to Kakashi's house.

Surprisingly, his door was unlocked so Sasuke and I could walk right in. I guess there really was no reason for locking it. If someone wanted to cause him harm, a locked door wouldn't be much of an obstacle for getting in.

I carried the large bucket silently through the house, Sasuke behind me with his hands stuck in his pockets. He looked neutral to my whole plan but I could tell he couldn't wait to see the look on Kakashi's face when I dumped the ice water all over him.

Kakashi's small house was very messy. I could hardly see the floor with all the clothes, food, and other random things lying around. I smiled at the sight of my gift on a coffee table in the living room. The tickets to the movie were laid out and each had a name of a person on it. I was happy to see that I was one of those people.

We looked into a room at the end of the hall and found our lazy sensei asleep in his bed. I grinned mischievously and stealthily walked up to the bed with the ice bucket clutched to my chest tightly. Sasuke leaned against the doorway and shook his head in disbelief at what I was about to do.

In another second, I dumped the bucket of cold water and ice cubes all over our peacefully sleeping teacher. He jerked up with a yell and grabbed for a kunai on his dresser instantly.

I laughed loudly at the look on his face. It was priceless. His eyes were wide open and his normally spiky hair stuck straight onto his face. He was still wearing his mask for some reason but it was also soaked as well as the rest of his bare torso. I clutched my stomach and leaned against the nearby wall as I continued laughing at his now serious expression as he searched for the perpetrator. I looked over to Sasuke and saw him facing the other direction with his hand over his mouth. His body was vibrating and I knew he was laughing too.

He finally found me and lowered his kunai, all the deadly tension lifting from the air. He slightly glared at me and I only grinned as my laughing settled down.

"Morning Kakashi-sensei!" I said enthusiastically, coming over to stand beside the bed again now that the knife was back on the end table. "We just came by to say hi!"

"We?" Our gazes traveled to the doorway to the now completely serious Uchiha. "Oh. Good morning Sasuke," Kakashi greeted with a smile.

Sasuke nodded in acknowledgement before Kakashi turned back to me. He ran a hand through his drenched hair and swung his legs over the edge to stand out of bed. He towered over me and I felt drops of water hit my face as I looked up to him with a grin.

"You shouldn't have messed up my bookshelf Kakashi," I said sternly, looking him straight in his miss-matched eyes. "I just finished organizing it the night before."

He nodded with a laugh before shaking out his wet hair, soaking me in the process. I gasped and jumped back, hearing a slight laugh from the doorway. Sasuke didn't even try to hide the small chuckle that escaped his lips and I glared at him slightly.

Kakashi's hair was in disarray when he stopped shaking his head, spikes of tresses sticking out in every direction. "Guess I'll think before I act next time," he said as he messed up my hair. I turned my narrowed gaze up to him and he merely laughed again before exiting the room to get ready.

I grumbled a few words under my breath and walked over to my teammate with a frown on my face. He looked back at me with a smirk and slight amusement in his eyes.

"That went well," he said in a serious tone. I rolled my eyes and walked passed him.

"Yeah, yeah." I fixed my hair and told Kakashi we'd meet him at the bridge. "Come on Uchiha." He was at my side in an instant and we walked out of the small apartment and down the street in the direction of the meeting place.

The rest of the morning went by without anything special occurring. The only thing different was that we were practicing our aim instead of sparring with each other. I was surprised when Sakura's aim with a shuriken was as good, if not better than Naruto's. I made a mental note to ask if he wanted to practice with me one-on-one later. Sasuke seemed like he was talented in everything so I wasn't surprised to see that we both were equally matched in target practice.

It was close to two when the five of us sat down at Ichurika's Ramen place and I realized something. Neji and I were training today! I quickly jumped from my previous stool in between Sasuke and Naruto and shot Kakashi a quick and flustered look. He saw the concern in my eyes before he remembered what I had asked the day before.

"You're going to be late," he said lazily, waving his hand towards a clock on the wall.

"I'll run fast," I said with a wave, before darting towards Training Field 4, leaving behind three very confused Genin.

Sasuke hopped off his tool with an annoyed sigh, remembering that he had to follow me everywhere but Kakashi stopped him. "She'll be training with my friend's student for a couple hours," he said with a small grin. "You can just meet her at Training Field 4 around five. Oh, right. I forgot to ask. How'd everything go last night?"

Naruto and Sakura were staring at Hikari's retreating figure still and did not notice Kakashi's question. Sasuke stared up at his teacher's childish expression apathetically before scoffing and sitting back on the stool to eat his lunch.

"Fine. It's not like I enjoy baby-sitting." Even though he spoke harshly, he still felt a twinge of jealousy. He was far better than any other Genin in the village. Why hadn't Hikari asked him to be her training partner? He scowled at the table and folded his arms over his chest harshly. Why should he care what that loser did? It was of no concern to him.

I arrived at Training Field 4 with a few seconds left to spare. I had _barely _made it, even after going full speed over the rooftops. Neji leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed and eyes closed with a slightly irritated look on his face. I jogged over to him while putting on a smile.

Before I had a chance to greet him, he spoke. "You're lucky. I was about to leave."

He opened his pale lavender eyes and looked me over. I nodded in an apology and rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I was sitting down for lunch with my team when I happened to glance at a clock."

A smirk rose on his lips as he pushed himself from the bark. "I honestly don't care what your excuse is," he said seriously, coming up to stand face-to-face with me. "Let's just begin."

I nodded and suggested that we start on weaponry tactics. He reluctantly agreed, but I caught the disappointment of not starting with Jutsu pass through his eyes. He wanted to know my power more than anything else. I couldn't let him see it.

"Alright. Aim for the markers on the trees I've set up around the clearing. Use shuriken only."

The targets hung at different heights and at different angles throughout the area. There was a very low chance that anyone would be able to hit all of them perfectly with one move. It was meant for the trainees to move around and think about which ones to hit and when.

"The first one to hit all twenty of them perfectly is the victor and will choose the next part of this training exercise."

I watched him pull out several shuriken and hold them between his fingers before doing the same. I felt nervous for some reason when he looked at me to make sure I knew what I was doing. I pushed away the uneasy feeling and got into a prepared stance and answered confidently.

"Got it."

We stared at each other in a silent challenge before he nodded to me. With that, we began. We coincidently headed in opposite directions, which was perfectly fine with me. I took in all the targets as I ran to get a good position for the ones furthest away.

~Those two can manage for my- no those _three _will work for my first targets.~

When I was close to the end, I jumped forward and pressed the soles of my feet against a tree before pushing my momentum back in the direction I came. While flying back, I threw three shuriken at the targets, hitting each on the bull's-eye.

Pushing my momentum back saved me from stopping and running back, cutting down my time by a few seconds. I quickly jumped onto a nearby rock and flipped over it to launch another barrage of shuriken on five more targets. Perfection.

I looked up for a millisecond to see Neji's progress. My eyes widened slightly when I realized he was on his twelfth target. I picked up my pace dramatically, deciding that maybe I should actual try to win this.

I finished off seven more targets in a few seconds and Neji finished off a few more\as well. The Score was 15-17. Neji's lead.

The hardest targets to hit were the ones that Neji had already scored with. My shuriken had to go either right above or right below his to count as a bull's-eye. He had to do the same thing so I didn't say anything.

I caught up in a few more seconds and we both had one target left…, which ironically, was the same one. We both glanced at each other shortly before throwing our shuriken. The blades of each weapon hit right next to each and right on the center of the target.

"I think I'm the winner," I said with a triumphant smile.

"No. Mine clearly hit the mark before yours," Neji replied in a serious tone, taking a step towards me, clearly in a threatening gesture. I stood my ground and argued further.

"_Clearly, my _shuriken beat yours to the target."

"And you obviously need your eyes checked. Mine beat yours by a whole millisecond."

"No it didn't."

"Yes it did." I laughed mentally and wondered how far I could push this silly argument until I actually made him angry.

"No it did not."

"Yes it did."

"_No_ it did not."

"_Yes _it did."

"Did not!"

"Did!"

"DID!"

"DID NOT!"

"Ah-ha!" He had fallen for my trick and admitted that his shuriken _did not _hit the target before mine. "So you admit it!"

He must have realized what he'd done because he was quick to glare down at me. We now stood mere inches apart, having taken a step closer to each other with each word. His hands were clenched at his sides angrily and I could tell he was trying to hold back his urge to cause me physical harm for my behavior.

I smiled lightly when he finally scoffed in defeat. He crossed his arms and took a step back to distance himself from me. "What next?" He asked in annoyance.

"Let's spar." He looked at me with an arched eyebrow, probably wondering why I'd pick sparring over all things. "We can only use Taijutsu. We'll go for two hours or until the other admits defeat. Sound good?"

He nodded hesitantly, seeing that he didn't have much of a choice. We both removed our shuriken from the targets first and put them in two separate piles near the edge of the clearing.

He walked to his end of the clearing shortly after, a cocky look on his face. This was clearly one of his strong suites and he _knew _he was going to beat me at this part of the training exercise. I took my spot opposite of him and got into an offensive stance somewhat like his.

"Good luck. You're going to need it." His voice was cocky and it only fueled my desire to crush his arrogant behavior.

"You need it more than me," I replied with a smirk. His face morphed into a firm line. "On the count of three, one...two...three!" We both ran at each other swiftly, strategies forming in the process.

Neji didn't use his Byakugan, seeing as we were only using Taijutsu moves. I was impressed with his quick punches, never once did he let up. I could only dodge or block until I found a hole in his attack. I finally found it and sent a swift kick to his stomach and knocked him back a few feet, but not hard enough to knock him off his feet.

He grimaced before taking a defensive stance, obviously waiting to test out my offense. I didn't keep him waiting long because I came at him with a round-house kick to his head quickly. He blocked that one and I quickly twisted to kick straight down on his shoulder instead. His left side nearly buckled from the impact but he kept firm and managed to land a punch at my opposite shoulder to get me to back off.

He was on me yet again after that and his punches were swifter. I actually had to concentrate to avoid every blow sent towards me. I reverted back to offense after a few minutes and showed him the speed and power of my fists. I hit him a few times in the chest and arms but not hard enough to leave more than a few large bruises.

We went on at the same, if not faster pace for two more hours, neither of us admitting defeat. By the time four o'clock rolled around, we were both panting and sweating from the intense sparring match.

We stood a little over a yard away from each other, each of us with a few bruises and scratches lining our arms and legs. He was courteous enough to not aim for my face during the fight and I returned the gesture by not "hitting below the belt."

"Alright," I panted, wiping the sweat from under my headband. He was panting heavily as well, but mine was more an act than actual weariness. I could still go for several more hours at that pace without collapsing. "That's enough. We'll call it a draw for now."

He nodded and stood up straight, still catching his breath. I fell back onto the grass and he walked over to collapse beside me. We didn't speak to each other as we caught our breaths and looked up at the clouds. I felt more comfortable around him now instead of all uptight. We hardly uttered more than a word to each other during our sparring match but our fists spoke for us.

He could grow up to be a worthy opponent if he kept training. He finally broke the silence with a surprising comment.

"You're better than I thought you'd be," he said seriously, having regulated his breathing properly.

I turned my head to look over at him and found him looking up at the sky with his eyes closed. He moved his hands to rest behind his head and a small smirk crossed his cocky expression.

"Though, you're Taijutsu needs work. Lee has you beat by a long shot."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. ~If only he knew.~ "Excuse me for not specializing in Taijutsu." I smiled brightly and put my hands behind my head as well. "I'm more of a Ninjutsu and Genjutsu user."

His smirk immediately turned to a frown and he turned his head to face me. I stared back at him questionably. "You never did show me any Jutsu that would flare your chakra," he said seriously, looking straight into my dark orbs. "Wasn't that the whole point of beginning this training session?"

I smiled guiltily and let out a small laugh before looking up at the clouds. I felt his irritated gaze but didn't look back. "Be patient Neji," I said happily. "You'll have your chance soon enough."

He was opening his mouth to speak when a voice broke through the clearing. "Hikari!"

I recognized it immediately as Sasuke's and I sat up quickly to look around. I couldn't see him right away but soon found him at the edge of the training grounds, his hands shoved in his pockets and his eyes searching. His eyes finally locked with mine and he waved.

"Let's go!" He called, partially turning from me. "We have work to do!"

~By "we", you mean me. _I _have work to do.~ I took a breath. ~Only two more days until I'm free. I can handle it.~

I sighed slightly and got to my feet before brushing myself off. Neji didn't sit up but arched an eyebrow and gestured to the voice. He couldn't see anyone from his position but could hear the male voice clearly.

"Coming Sasuke!" I yelled back, picking up the shuriken I had retrieved from the posts earlier. I looked back down to Neji with a small smile. "Duty calls. I'll see you at the same time on Thursday, 'k?"

He thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Don't be late," he said, his eyes closing once again. I laughed slightly and nudged him with my foot, earning a grunt from him.

"Haven't been yet," I laughed. "Thanks again." He nodded and I dashed off towards my impatient teammate, happiness evident in my steps.


	22. Chapter 22: The Life and Times of Team 7

Chapter 22: The Life and Times of Team 7

Hikari's Pov

Sasuke looked over her shoulder in the direction she had come from. "Did your partner leave?" he asked apathetically, walking with me towards town. I shook my head.

"No. He's still over there." I gestured to the spot I'd come from. I didn't notice him stiffen slightly at the mention of _he _because I was putting my shuriken back in their case. "We actually just finished sparring a few minutes ago and were lying down to catch our breath."

"Hn." That was the only response I got before he turned into a simple restaurant at the beginning of one of the streets.

He held the door open for me to enter and I looked at him questionably, wondering why he was holding the door for me. He rolled his eyes and mumbled something about me being a "freak'n moron" before gesturing for me to walk inside. I did so with a smile on my face before he followed me to a booth.

~Seems like he's trying to be nice.~ I sat down and he sat across from me in his normal position.

"I'm guessing you brought me here for dinner since I didn't eat any lunch, right?" He nodded and signaled the waitress over.

"What can I get the two of you?" She asked politely, giving a cheesy smile that screamed, "I don't want to be here."

"Two orders of white rice, an extra large bowl of dumplings, and two ice waters," I requested with a _real _smile. "That's all we need, thanks." She wrote down everything before turning to the kitchen without another word.

"An extra large bowl of dumplings?" I saw the hint of a grin appear on Sasuke's face as he spoke.

"It's cheaper for us to split a huge bowl than to pay for two separate orders," I grinned happily as our drinks were placed in front of us. "Thanks. How did the rest of Kakashi's training go after I left? Anything interesting?"

He set down the drink after taking a sip and rolled his eyes with a scoff before looking right at me. "We continued with aiming, or we were supposed to." He smirked. "Kakashi was focused on getting the dobe's aim right so I worked on other fields."

I nodded and decided to let him in on my idea for Naruto. "I was going to talk to Naruto about that." He kept his look apathetic, trying to see the point in my words before I spoke. I grinned and took a sip of water. "You think Naruto will let me help him with his shuriken and kunai training? Like a one-on-one training session type of thing until he improves?"

For a second, I could have swore I saw anger pass over his dark obsidian orbs. It was different from his normal kind of angry look. Maybe it wasn't really rage that I saw.

~Irritation with me helping Naruto out? What's wrong with that? If he needs help, then its my duty as his friend to be there for him. Does he really despise Naruto so much that he doesn't want anyone to help him out? No. That can't be it. Sasuke's not cold-hearted…well…he's warming up…slowly…agonizingly slow. At least it's progress.~

"Order up," the waitress said glumly, setting the two plates of rice down before lifting the large bowl off the folding table she had set up beside her.

The bowl of dumplings took up nearly half the table. It was _a lot _bigger than I expected it to be. Maybe that's why Sasuke grinned after I ordered. Steam rolled off it. I felt the bowl and quickly retreated my hand. It was boiling hot.

"Thanks a lot," I said with a smile. The girl frowned at me before walking away mumbling out "have a nice meal". I turned back to Sasuke and saw him thinking about what I'd said. "So?"

He opened his eyes and was about to speak when he was interrupted by a loud shriek.  
"Sasuke! What a surprise! I didn't expect to see you here!"

~The feelings mutual.~ We both turned to the familiar loud voice and saw Sakura nearly skipping over, Naruto behind her. I assumed they had both just finished training and came here since it was one of the closest places to the training grounds.

Naruto didn't look too happy at the mention of Sasuke's name but when he turned to look, he noticed me and instantly brightened. He waved over to me before coming over just as quickly as Sakura.

Sakura took the spot beside Sasuke, naturally, and Naruto sat by me. "Hey Sakura. Hey Naruto." I greeted them both with a friendly smile and a nod. "How was the rest of training?"

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from me. "I need to work on my aim a little but otherwise…" He grinned broadly and looked back to me with a thumbs-up. "I did great! And-."

"A little work?" Sasuke asked with a smirk. Sakura was clutching his arm tightly and he looked ready to yank it off if she didn't let go soon. His eyes were focused on Naruto who in turn glared back. "I'd hate to see something you need a lot of work on."

"Shut up Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, ready to pounce on the cocky Uchiha. "I just need to work on it! I'll be better than you in no time flat! Right Hikari!"

I blinked and turned to Naruto. He was staring at me with a glimmer in his eyes, practically begging me to agree with him. Sakura was glaring at me, daring me to oppose her love. Sasuke looked at me intently. He actually looked genially curious about how I was going to answer this. How _was_ I going to answer this?

I held my hands up in defense and laughed nervously. "Don't bring me into this," I said with a small smile. Naruto looked almost sad so I quickly spoke up. "But I can help you with your training if you want Naruto." That seemed to catch his attention because his eyes widened slightly in question. "Just you and me. We can work on your aim until it improves and gets to an outstanding level."

He was gaping at my proposal before his bright blue eyes shone brilliantly. He rose a fist in determination. "That would be awesome Hikari!" He exclaimed loudly, causing several groups of people in the restaurant to turn to us.

"Naruto!" Sakura hissed, knocking him in the head. "Be quiet!"

He rubbed his aching head but didn't have the heart to glare at the girl he had a crush on so he let it go. I, however, didn't care and glared pointedly at her for hurting him. She seemed slightly taken back but covered it up. Sasuke frowned at my protectiveness over the orange clad boy but I ignored it.

"Sorry Sakura," he grumbled. He turned back to me with his spirit back to normal and my expression reversed to the one I wore before Sakura hit him. Naruto didn't really take Sakura's words to heart because he was back to screaming again. "When can we start ?!"

I laughed slightly and picked up my chopsticks before sticking them in the large bowl and plucking out a dumpling, pieces of chicken and other small meats accompanying it.

"Let's eat first, then we'll head to the training ground I just came from," I said with a grin. He looked so excited and pumped up that I couldn't help but be happy. He had the natural aura of making everyone around him feel that way.

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed cheerfully as I put the dumpling in my mouth. "I'll be the best student you'll ever have! I'll even call you Hikari-sensei if you want!"

I must have swallowed wrong. I began choking and dropped my chopsticks to clutch my throat slightly, coughs beginning to violently erupt from me. I heard Naruto and Sasuke both call my name but I was too busy concentrating on dislocating the dumpling from my windpipe. I felt two arms come to wrap around my stomach and turn my back to the person. I assumed it was Naruto.. I shook my hand to tell him not to worry before I snatched my water and downed half of it to swallow shakily.

I leaned back against his torso for a second and took a deep breath before looking up at the young blonde boy holding me firmly. His eyes were wide in panic and worry. I smiled in embarrassment before straightening up and unwinding his arms from around my abdomen. A faint blush was present on his cheeks but I didn't notice.

I looked over to the opposite side of the booth and found Sasuke half standing in his seat, looking ready for anything. His face was framed in worry, or at least as much worry as any Uchiha would let anyone see. He stared at me for a second before sitting back down on the cushioned seat, looking like nothing had happened.

"S-Sorry," I said sheepishly, looking down at the table, blushing in embarrassment. I looked to Naruto with a nervous grin. "How about just Hikari, 'k?"

Naruto still looked somewhat shocked but tried to regain his composure quickly. "S-Sure Hikari," he agreed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

I looked over to Sasuke and found him staring at me. His body language was neutral but his eyes were asking if I was alright and, naturally, glaring at me as if to find out why I had choked on a dumpling…or why I had reacted to Naruto's words so harshly.

I mentally sighed. ~Well…that was slightly embarrassing. His words hit way too close to home. I can't react like that again. Luckily, I was eating or they might have been skeptic about me reacting so strangely. Sasuke's already thinking of other reasons. He's too smart for his own good sometimes.~

I nodded to him before picking up my chopsticks once again with a smile. "Alright!" I said happily, reaching for the plate of white rice, trying to remove the tension. "I think my dumpling appetite just diminished so I'll eat this. Naruto, Sakura, help yourselves to as many dumplings as you like or order anything from the menu. I'll cover it."

Sakura's Pov

"Thanks," I said glumly, giving a false smile. She nodded before taking a bite of some white rice. She was smiling at the taste, still uncomfortable about her little show earlier. I narrowed my eyes at the girl across from me.

~What is her problem? She's only be here a little over a week and she's already getting Sasuke to actually talk to her?! When she was _choking, _that was definitely a show to just get attention, Sasuke was ready to jump over the table to help her! What the heck! He'd never do that for anyone else!~

I was still clutching his arm tightly and I smiled up at him brightly as I scooted closer. He tensed up but I didn't care as long as I was with him. I watched Naruto signal the waitress over quickly, taking advantage of Hikari's offer. He ordered several things, way too much for one person then looked over at me.

"Want anything Sakura?" He asked.

"Uhh…just a salad," I said after a moment. I was on a diet so I didn't need much. He shrugged and the girl left to get our orders. Hikari was looking at Naruto with her eyebrow raised when he turned to her.

"Wow," she said in slight astonishment before flashing a set of perfect white teeth. "If I would have known you were going to order the whole menu, I may not have offered to cover everything." Naruto looked ashamed for a moment but then Hikari patted his head affectionately. "Don't worry Naruto." She laughed slightly. "I'm only kidding."

He fixed his spikes of blonde quickly, grumbling about why she always had to do that. I glared at her, thoroughly annoyed that she was closer to both of my teammates in a matter of days than I had been in my whole life.

The waitress came back with a cartload of food, all of it but the salad for Naruto. I stuck a piece of lettuce with my fork and took a bite, keeping my eyes fixated on the girl beside Naruto.

She was smiling and laughing as she told the three of us a funny story. I didn't catch any of it, too busy letting my jealousy take over me. Why was she so perfect? I couldn't go anywhere nowadays without hearing something about "Hikari" or the "new girl". I was fed up with all the attention she was getting from everyone in town. Especially from the boys! Naruto obviously had a crush on her and the majority of the boys we passed in the streets would slow down or even stop to get a glimpse of her. Even Sasuke seemed to enjoy being around her! _My_ Sasuke! Actually enjoying the company of that stupid, annoying, inconsiderate girl! The worst part was that she didn't even notice how lucky she was!

Naruto laughed when she reached the punch-line and I breathed out a small laugh for show. It must have been a good story because Sasuke even cracked a partial grin.

~She can even make him smile! I hate her! She's stealing Sasuke away from me!~

Hikari seemed to since my glare because she looked over to me inconspicuously, a question in her eyes and an innocent smile playing on her full red lips. I wanted to knock that grin off her face.

"Okay, ready to go Naruto?" she asked, seeming to feel the hatred I radiated in her direction. He looked up from his mouthful of beef and noodles and nodded vigorously before swallowing.

He wiped an arm across his mouth and jumped up from his seat enthusiastically. I couldn't help but gape at the dozens of empty bowls and plates on the table, feeling awkward for not noticing him stuffing his face. Surprisingly, over half of the dumplings were gone, most eaten by Naruto and one plate full eaten by Sasuke. Hikari's plate was empty of rice, as was my love's. I looked down at my small salad bowl. It was hardly eaten from at all and the others were finishing up.

"Alright! Let's go Hikari!" he exclaimed, earning more annoyed and amused looks from other customers. I wanted to knock him in the head again but kept calm. "It's time for training! I'll be better than that jerk in no time!"

He pointed a finger at Sasuke and I glared at him before standing from the booth. "You idiot!" I exclaimed, shaking my fist at him. "Don't call Sasuke a jerk!"

"Stop defending him all the time Sakura! He is a big, arrogant, egocentric, jerk!"

We must not have realized Sasuke's movements because he was suddenly beside me, glaring daggers at Naruto.

"What'd you say, dead last?" he asked cockily, showing his heart melting smirk. What girl could resist it?

Naruto puffed out his chest in a "dominant male" fashion and stood up tall to reach Sasuke's height. "You heard me Sasuke!" He was returning Sasuke's glare with an edge of his own, but it still didn't even compare to the uneasy feeling of Sasuke's.

"You better watch what you say," Sasuke said, glowering down at my other teammate. "Or you'll regret it."

"Oh yeah! Well ya know what Sasuke? I-."

He was quickly cut off by Hikari's fingerless gloved hand locking over his mouth. She laughed sheepishly and stepped in between the two, keeping her eyes on Sasuke. Naruto struggled at first but finally gave up after a few minutes.

"W-Well," she stuttered innocently, looking from me to Sasuke and back. "I'll see you both later. Let's go Naruto."

She turned around to walk off when Sasuke stopped her. By grabbing her hand. I gasped softly, not loud enough for anyone to hear. ~What the heck?!~

"Be back at the complex in two hours," he said monotony. I relaxed a little at the sound of his cold voice. He didn't mean anything when he took her hand. He was just stopping her to give her…orders? "Be prepared."

I had no clue what that meant but obviously Hikari did. She made a slightly disheartened expression but quickly covered it up and nodded before removing her hand from Naruto's mouth and making her way from the shop, muttering "sorry" to anyone who had heard the argument.

They exited the building a few seconds after they visited the counter to pay for their meals and I turned to Sasuke, hearts in my eyes. He stared in the direction of the window at the front of the restaurant, watching the duo walk to the training field.

I clasped my hands behind my back and looked up to him with a shy smile on my face. "Hey Sasuke?" He looked over to me with disinterest clearly written on his features. "Want to go do something toge-."

"No," he simply interrupted. Before I could say anything else, he began marching out the door and turned in the opposite direction that the others went.

I sighed sadly and encouraged myself, telling my heart there as always next time. ~Still, I can't help but wonder why he's been acting colder to me these past few days. He gets so angry when Hikari and Naruto are around each other. Wonder why?~ I sighed again and made my way out of the building as well. ~Oh well. Maybe Ino and I can go shopping or something.~

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Naruto's Pov

I glared at the back of the jerk's head, my eyes boring holes into it. He had no reason to insult Hikari all the time. _He _was the reason we were going on this stupid "team bonding" trip.

Flashback

"Bulls-eye!" Hikari exclaimed happily. She gave my shoulder a friendly squeeze and smiled proudly. "I knew you'd get it Naruto!"

I was panting but managed to show a tired grin. It took me three hours to hit the bull-eye ten times in a row. I was finally getting the hang of it. Hikari was an amazing teacher, always encouraging and putting out supportive criticism every so often. She seemed to know exactly what she was talking about but she has been on several missions before so she has a reason to be an expert at this.

~Just that small adjustment with my position and my releasing time made the difference. I really should have paid attention to Iruka-sensei in class. I guess he did teach us _some _useful things.~

I had watched her throw and she urged me to analyze her movements and the time she released her kunai. I told her I didn't want to move like a girl and she started laughing because I was being completely serious. She just replied with a grin and went back to showing me how to throw a knife properly.

"I finally did it Hikari!" I exclaimed happily, embracing her warmly and spinning her around once in my joy. She smiled and laughed along with me until I set her down. "You're an awesome teacher Hikari! I wasn't bored or falling asleep at all! It was nothing like Iruka-sensei's class!"

"Glad I could help," she said with another laugh. I loved that sound. It always brightened my mood. "We'll work on shuriken ne-."

"Hikari."

We looked over and found Mr. Ego himself shuffling over to us angrily. His hands were thrust in his pockets and his face was hard. He stared at Hikari intently and I looked back to her, becoming angry when I saw her face. It was downcast, instantly changed from being happy to being worried.

"What do you want Sasuke!?" I yelled angrily. "Can't you see we're training here?!"

He made me even angrier when he completely ignored me. "You were supposed to be back an hour ago," he said, an evil smirk crossing his face. "You still owe me two more days, loser. Let's go."

"Alright." She let a sigh escape her lips before giving me a swift hug and walking towards him. "Keep practicing Naruto. I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded but kept my angry gaze fixated on _him._ He glared right back coldly before giving Hikari the same, if not colder stare. She didn't flinch but she looked slightly disappointed with the look. I clenched my fists together as well as my teeth.

Sasuke turned back around and I felt an angry vein on my forehead. ~Who does he think he is?! Pushing Hikari around and treating her like trash! And she doesn't even fight back! I'll show you Sasuke! No one messes with my best friend and gets away with it!~

Turns out that charging at my already angry teammate was not a good idea. Long story short, Iruka-sensei found the two of us wrestling each other on the ground. He pried us apart and gave me a long lecture but didn't say much to Sasuke. Why didn't he ever get in trouble?

Hikari was giving us both a scolding look and I felt bad. I recalled her telling us to stop and trying to yank me back but in the fight I didn't notice. She walked off swiftly, not bothering to say anything else. Sasuke gave me a cold glare before following. I clenched my fists together and yelled after him but I was just ignored. Iruka-sensei wacked me in the head and scolded me again.

Kakashi was told and that is how we ended up here. In the forest mountains near Konoha.

End Flashback

I apologized to Hikari earlier and she just thanked me for apologizing. She wasn't angry at all and I felt better. I didn't want my best and _only_ friend mad at me. I didn't want to go back to being alone again.

I walked beside her quietly and kept my glare on Sasuke. It was his fault that we were on this stupid "team bonding" trip. If he'd stop being such a jerk then our team would actually get along! Sakura stuck to his side the whole way up the mountain and I was jealous. Why couldn't she like me instead of Sasuke? Kakashi led the way with a cheerful expression, glad that he was torturing his students into getting along. Stupid, perverted guy…

Hikari finally broke the silence. "I wonder who came up with the idea of creating a shuriken," she said thoughtfully. Sakura and I looked at her strangely, wondering where the heck that random question had come from. She blinked once before continuing. "I'm serious. Look at this thing." She pulled a shuriken from her satchel and held it up for us all to see. "Sure it could have been created to cut things, but wouldn't a knife serve that purpose?"

"Maybe they got bored of using a knife to cut things?" I questioned, actually thinking about it for a second. The curves of the shuriken were sharp and meant for speed. Who could have created it?

"They were most likely made for hunting or something like that," Sakura said, looking back to Sasuke to see if her answer was satisfactory. He didn't say anything and she frowned.

"I guess that could be the reason," She said as she studied the shuriken a little closer. "But why call it a "throwing star?" Aren't stars supposed to represent good fortune and things like that? Where did we even come up with the shape of a star anyway? All I see when I look at them is a bright dot in the sky."

It sounded like she was only saying random things to break the tension and give all of us something to talk about. It worked. All five of us, yes, even Sasuke joined in occasionally. Maybe we could actually get along during this trip.

By time we reached the forestry mountain top, our conversation had gone from talking about shuriken, debating whether or not Sakura should get her hair cut, and around to asking Kakashi how he got his hair to stand up so straight.

"Alright team," Kakashi said with a grin, dropping his bag in the clearing. "We'll stay here for the night." He turned towards the four of us to give us orders. "Since our food supply is diminished, we'll have to get our own." He pointed to Sasuke then to Sakura. "You two set up camp while Naruto and Hikari go look for food. I'll get the firewood." He looked over to Hikari and me. I was beaming on the inside, glad that I got work with Hikari. "Meet back her in a half hour, even if you don't get anything." We nodded. "Alright. Get to work."

"Alright!" I exclaimed happily, dropping my bag beside Kakashi-sensei's and bolting to the trees. "Let's go Hikari!" She smiled and nodded before gently setting down her bag and following me into the woods.

I heard a river near by and made my way over to it confidently. I was in charge of the most important thing and I was not going to let everyone down.

"Hey Naruto?" I looked over my shoulder to Hikari and found her squatting down near a bush. I stopped and walked back to her. "Can I meet you at the river? I'd like to pick a few of these."

I noticed the multi-colored berries growing on the bush and grinned. They looked delicious. "Okay," I said as I plucked a berry from the bush. "Meet ya there." I plopped it into my mouth and ran to the water. I spit the berry out as soon as I tasted it, wishing that I'd thought about washing the dirt off of it before putting it in my mouth.

~Stupid freaking fish! Stop moving!~ I stabbed at another as it swam by. My kunai missed it barely yet again and I cursed under my breath. How was I supposed to know that catching a fish was so freakin' hard!

"Having trouble?" I crossed my arms stubbornly and pouted when she came into my view. She was carrying an arm full of the delicious berries and a few other plants she must have found in the forest. All of it was carried on a giant leaf that must have fallen from a gigantic tree.

"NO!" I exclaimed quickly. I thrust my kunai into the water again and almost got one but was yet again unsuccessful. "Yes…"

She laughed and set the food down in a pile near the bank before squatting down beside me. "Hmm," she hummed quietly, watching the fish in the clear blue liquid. "Keep trying while I wash these berries and plants off."

I nodded and went at it again for a few more minutes. Complete failure. When Hikari finished washing the berries, she reached out for the knife.

"Let me give it a try," she said confidently.

I reluctantly handed her the knife and watched her movements. I stifled a laugh at her playfully serious concentration stare. After a few seconds, she stabbed into the water and the kunai went through two fish before she removed it from the water. I gaped at her as she tossed the fish near the pile of berries and plants.

"How'd you do that?!" I asked loudly, slightly jealous. Was there anything she couldn't do? She smiled sheepishly.

"Well Naruto, I've had a lot of practice. Icatai's taught me many different things and so have my other teachers." I arched an eyebrow and she smiled at my confusion. "I've had many teachers besides Icatai. That's why I know so much."

I nodded. I guess that made sense. "Whatever," I scoffed, looking up at the tree tops. "I could catch a stupid fish any time. I just don't feel like it right now."

I could tell she thought what I said was funny but I didn't say anything. She caught half a dozen more before wiping the kunai clean of any blood. She stood up and reached down to help me. I gladly accepted and a devious thought came to my mind when I saw her position. Her back was facing the river and her guard was down.

I smirked as I stood up and she gave me a funny look. "You wanna know my secret to catching fish Hikari?" I asked deviously, releasing her hand when I stood up completely. She nodded and my smirk grew. "I get in the water with them!"

I pushed her backwards and she screamed in surprise before falling into the cool water. She resurfaced a few seconds later, a scowl marking her flawless face. Her blonde hair stuck to her face and she was completely drenched. I couldn't help but laugh loudly at the look, but inside I was slightly cringing. She looked kind of scary when she gave me that look.

After a minute, a smile formed on her lips and she swam over to the bank, laughing slightly. "Good one Naruto," she said with a grin, smoothing back the hair in her face. "I didn't see it coming."

I smiled down to her brightly, proud with my "stealthy ninja skills" and for catching her off guard. I was glad that I had someone to joke around with.

"Can you give me a hand? The bank is slippery." I nodded and reached down to help her over the grassy mudslide.

Big mistake.

The next thing I know, I'm pulled into the river as well, face first. I resurfaced and immediately looked around for the girl that was laughing loudly. I moved my bangs away and found her skimming the water a few yards away. She was smiling happily, glad that she'd gotten her revenge.

"Sorry Naruto," she said as her laughing slowly diminished. "I couldn't help it!"

I smirked. "Well, I can't help this-." I splashed her with a wave of water and she shielded herself with her arms. "-either."

She glared at me playfully and sent a wave of water towards me. "You're on Uzumaki!" She said as I sent another wave towards her.

We must have been there a long time because the sun was soon setting and we were still having a water war. Currently, Hikari had position on a large rock a few feet from where I was hiding behind a smaller one. I looked over the rock and saw her looking in the opposite direction of my hiding place. Perfect. I leapt out of the water and tackled her off the rock and into the water, clearly surprising her.

When we resurfaced, I was the only one laughing. Hikari stared in the direction of the forest and I gazed over there as well. Kakashi-sensei was leaning against a tree, hands in his pockets, a stern look on his face.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei!" I greeted happily, waving to him. He took his arms from his pockets and waved over to the two of us shortly before walking over.

I looked up to him, confused by his obvious anger. What'd we do? I suddenly remembered the food near the bank and mentally cursed. We were obviously late.

"Sorry sensei," Hikari said, swimming over to the bank he stood at. "I lost track of time. It's my fault we're late."

"Really?" he asked, boredom lacing his voice. He looked over to me. "Naruto had nothing to do with it?"

I opened my mouth to answer when Hikari cut in. "No. I'm the one who pulled him in when I-erm- fell into the river." She smiled innocently and looked over to me. "Right Naruto? We started a water war after I pulled you in?"

I nodded but my confused look stayed on my face. That was technically right. But she hadn't fallen in! I'd pushed her and she was taking all the blame…again! Why does she always do that?!

"Uh-huh." Kakashi definitely didn't believe her but reached his hands down and helped her over the slippery bank anyway. I swam over and he pulled me out too. "Sasuke and Sakura are waiting back at the camp for us so let's not dilly-dally here any longer. You know how Sakura gets when she doesn't get her meals on time."

Visions of an infuriated Sakura when lunch was late passed through my thoughts and I cringed. She was _definitely _not good to be around, especially when she enjoyed smacking you every time you said something even _slightly_ different than normal.

Kakashi turned and picked up the fish before making his way into the forest. I shook my head wildly to dry it out, causing Hikari to laugh slightly when she got wet. She pushed me away lightly to escape getting even more wet before hoisting up the giant leaf of berries.

"Let's go knuckle-head," she said, tipping her head to both sides to rid her ears of water. "I need to start preparing dinner and we both need to dry off near the fire."

My stomach growled and I couldn't agree more. "Yeah! I'm starving! Let's go!"

I grabbed her free hand and pulled her along as we ran after Kakashi-sensei.

We emerged into the clearing and were met with two cold glares from our teammates. Sasuke sat next to the fire and the flames illuminated his face, making his glare even darker. I almost cringed but kept a calm expression and looked to Sakura. I wasn't ready for an expression scarier than Sasuke's, but that's what I got.

"Where the heck were you?!" She exclaimed as we came closer. "Do you know how long Sasuke and I have been waiting?!" She arched an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. "And why the heck are you soaking wet? Was it that hard to catch a few fish?"

I let go of Hikari and took a step towards Sakura, rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly. "Well you see Sakura, we-."

"Never mind! I don't care! Just fix the food so we can eat already!"

I nodded quickly and she marched over to take a seat on the log next to Sasuke's. I looked back to Hikari to find that she wasn't behind me anymore I looked back towards the fire franticly and found her sitting down on a log…right next to Sasuke. I clenched my fist and glared at him. Why did she always hang around him when he was such a jerk to her?!

She said something to him and he replied with a smirk. Hikari's lips formed into a light pout and Sasuke's smirk grew. I was certain that he'd just insulted her and I was going to give him a piece of my mind when Kakashi entered the clearing behind me.

"You know," he began monotonly.

I looked up to him and saw him holding a long stick, stabbed, skinless and boneless fish lining it. He must have gone somewhere else to get rid of the parts of the fish that were not made of meat.

"Hikari thinks of you as her best friend Naruto. And you should look out for her, but." He grinned down at me cheerfully. "That doesn't mean you have to pick a fight with Sasuke every time he says something insulting to her. She's a big girl. She can take care of herself." He placed his hand on my forehead for a moment before walking over to the fire and handing the stick to Hikari. "You were late, so you get to fix dinner."

I watched her roll her eyes slightly before stretching the stick over the fire. I walked over quickly and took a seat on her other side. I stretched my hands over the flames and felt the fire dry my clothes and skin.

~Maybe I should back off for a while.~ I looked at Hikari and Sasuke from the corner of my eyes, a slight frown coming to my face. ~He hasn't hurt her at all so I guess she's okay. But I swear, if he does _anything _to hurt her, I'll kill him!~

Hikari's Pov

I sighed in contempt as I handed each of my teammates and Kakashi a cooked fish on a leaf and the berries and a few vegetables I'd found earlier. This was actually a pretty decent traveling meal and it seemed to satisfy everyone. Kakashi had two more and Naruto ate the eighth one. I was about to give him the other half of mine when I met Sasuke's glare.

~Right. I'm supposed to eat more than usual to get my strength back up. I wonder why he's actually taking his job seriously?~ I came to the conclusion that he was blackmailed. Why else would he do this?

I took the last bite of my fish and plopped the rest of the berries into my mouth. I smiled and tossed my leaf plate into the fire, watching the flames spark and sputter. It was getting darker and the animals of the night were beginning to come out. I could already hear a faint owl's "hoot" in the distance.

Everyone else's leaves were tossed in after mine. We all sat in companionable silence, tension, for once, not lingering in the air. We were all too full to argue about anything and were actually enjoying each others company in the forest.

Kakashi broke the silence. "So." We all looked to him and he leaned into the circle closer. "Know any good ghost stories?"

I grinned. ~A good ghost story? I could use one of my past experiences and it would be just as frightening if not more so.~

Naruto waved his hand frantically in Kakashi's face. "I have one Kakashi-sensei!" He exclaimed.

"Alright. Go ahead Naruto." Kakashi sounded bored but I could tell he wanted to hear what kind of story Naruto was going to come up with. I couldn't wait either. Who knows what stories Naruto could think of?

He cleared his throat and put on a serious and slightly creepy face before beginning.

"A man sat in his room, a book on his lap. He reads to himself silently until he hears a noise. "Creak", a sound, faint, distant, but still heard."Crack", something snapping, or being trampled on. The room is silent except for the quiet fire burning. "Creak"..Just the house settling, nothing more. That's what he told himself."

I leaned in towards him, interested in his story so far. I found Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi listening as well.

"Crack", Perhaps some small animals outdoors. "Whoosh", Was that the wind?  
The man stands up and peeks out the window. A clear night is all he sees, the full moon brilliant in the sky. Laughing at his nervousness, he returns to his book. "Creak", the man now silently chuckles at the sound."Crack", how could he have been scared of some sounds."Whoosh", must be breezy out tonight."Thump"...did that come from within the house?"

By now, we were all getting slightly tired of all the noises and just wanted to know what was going to happen to the man. Naruto didn't seem to catch the hint and continued on.

"The man stares into the fire, trying to calm his jangled nerves. "Creak"..."Crack"...  
"Whoosh"...will the sounds never cease? "Thump"..."Thump"..."Thump"...Closer, he thinks, the sounds are getting closer. He shuts the book and closes his eyes, and thinks of something besides his wild imagination."Creak" "Thump" "Crack" "Thump" "Whoosh-."

"Enough with the sound effects Naruto!" Sakura whispered in irritation. "What happened to the man?"

"I'm getting there Sakura! Just wait a minute!" He cleared his throat again, preparing to finish his story. "Thump"..."Thump"..."Thump"...a pause? The man moves quietly, slowly, towards the door with a nervous gait. "Thump"...a step back..."Thump"...yes, it's getting closer. "Thump"...he stares at the door, trying to somehow see through it..."Thump"...he reaches slowly for the doorknob, hand shaking, no longer able to take not knowing..."Creak", a loose floorboard, near the door outside..."Thump", he slowly opens the door..."

Sakura's eyes went wide for a second as the story reached its end and we all leaned in a little closer.

"A scream!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, scaring Sakura into clutching Sasuke's arm and me to flinch back slightly, hitting my back against the Uchiha on accident. He grunted softly before pushing me off. I glared back at him slightly. "Then...there was silence..."

We all sat there silently for a few seconds before Sakura spoke up. "So what happened?" she asked, slight fright in her voice.

Naruto smiled innocently and placed his hands behind his head. "W-Well..." A few more seconds passed. "I don't know."

We were all blinked, slightly baffled that he didn't know the ending. "So we listened to that whole thing and you don't know what happened?!" Sakura exclaimed, glaring daggers at Naruto.

"I didn't say it was a good story!" He yelled back. I smiled slightly at the childish pout on his lips. How could anyone get mad at him when he wore such a cute look all the time?

"Okay!" Kakashi intervened, stopping the two from fighting. "Who's next?" He looked over the group and stopped on Sakura. "How about you Sakura?"

Our eyes traveled to her and she flushed slightly under Sasuke's gaze. "Y-Yeah," she stuttered. "I have one." She cleared her throat like Naruto had done and leaned in towards the group "A 13 year old girl was visiting her cousins who lived about 70 miles from where she lived at the time. They had already spent three days together, and she was all set to leave to go home the next morning."

Sasuke didn't seem to be paying much attention to her story so I nudged his side inconspicuously. He gave me an annoyed look and I gestured to Sakura, urging him to listen. He scoffed quietly and leaned in slightly, elbows on his knees and head on his crossed hands. I grinned and turned my attention back to Sakura.

"Every day she was there, her and her cousins would take a trail through the light woods to get to the lake, where we would skip rocks, and sometimes go swimming. On this particular day, her cousins had to go into town for a while, leaving h irn the presence of her aunt and uncle until they got back. It didn't take very long to become bored, however. So she told my aunt that she was going down to the lake early, and asked that she tell her cousins to come meet her when they got back. The aunt agreed, and the girl went."

"What's going to happen to her Sakura?" Naruto asked, eyes slightly widened. Everyone knew that going somewhere alone in a ghost story was never a good thing. I shushed him and told Sakura to continue. She nodded her thanks and looked back at the fire.

"It was a walk, and she didn't notice how much longer it seemed without company. She figured that she was about halfway there, when she came to a branch that was blocking my way. She could go around it, crawl under, or push it out of the way. She decided to push it, to see if she could break it in the process. She pushed hard with both hands, and soon enough, her way was clear again. She was about to let it snap back into place when a hand grabbed it a mere second before she could let go."

I heard Naruto take a breath like he was about to say something when I gently squeezed his hand. His eyes went down to our now linked hands, whatever he was going to say slipping from his mind. I smiled out of his sight, knowing that he thought I needed comfort during this "scary" story. He squeezed back lightly to let me know he was there for me.

"She looked at the pale hand that seemed as if there was no flesh underneath the white skin. Her eyes then trailed up to the persons face. It was a woman. She wore a dark red sweater and white slacks. Her eyes didn't seem human, wide and yet horribly aware. Even worse, they were fixed on the girl. She slowly opened her mouth."

Sakura paused and looked up at all of us, a hideously scary look on her face. I almost cringed at the sight. Naruto did cringe and his grip on my hand grew tighter.

"Go home Lyne." She said in a terrible tone that would haunt the girl for the rest of her days. Half a second elapsed before the girl was running as fast as she could back to the house. She was completely horrified, crying, and panting as she sprinted what was probably a quarter-mile trip. When she got back, she calmed down a bit, and decided against telling anyone. It was too unbelievable, and would be discarded as a lie by her cousins. When they came home, she asked if they could just stay in and watch movies, and they thankfully agreed."

Sakura let out a short sigh and turned to look over everyone in the circle. I followed her gaze. Kakashi looked mildly interested and Sasuke looked like he was concentrating on keeping his eyes open. Naruto was deep in the story and was leaning into the circle closely, waiting for the ending. Sakura continued after smiling to Sasuke, obviously thinking that he was trying to stay awake just to listen to her story. I couldn't help but roll my eyes slightly at her naïve notion.

"She kept the whole thing to herself. She woke up the next day to her aunt and uncle talking excitedly in the next room. Upon investigating their conversation, she realized just what had happened. A mountain lion had taken the life of a woman jogging on that very trail not two hours after she had left the house for the lake. She was in utter disbelief, but again, she told no one. She knew that she wouldn't be here if that woman hadn't been there. Then tomorrow came. Lyne and her family were attending a funeral for her grandmother, a woman she had not met due to her failing health, and the fact her parents were on bad terms with her. Lyne's mother asked if she would approach the open casket with her to pay their respects, and the girl obliged. She walked up to the alter, and froze dead in her tracks. Her grandmother was wearing a dark red sweater, and was very pale...anyone could see that. It took a few moments before she could look at her face, but when she did, realization came over her, and she felt as if she was going to faint."

Sakura leaned forward closely and whispered the last of the story dramatically.

"There was no mistaking it... It was her...the woman from the woods."

It was only quiet for a second before Naruto cut in. "Wow Sakura! That was a good one! I didn't see it coming!"

I arched an eyebrow and looked at him skeptically. How could he not see that coming?

It was completely obvious. I smirked. I guess I could believe it, it is Naruto after all.

Sasuke didn't seem to care whether he voiced his thoughts aloud or not so he cut in. "What else could have happened, moron?" His voice was filled with arrogance. "Even Hikari saw it coming."

I glared lightly at him for his insult before looking at Sakura. She looked disheartened that Sasuke didn't enjoy her story and I felt bad for her. I quickly spoke up before Naruto and Sasuke had a chance to argue.

"That was a good story Sakura. I was getting nervous when Lyne walked off by herself. Luckily everything worked out in the end."

She looked up to me like I was crazy. Was me complimenting her really so rare? I never recalled being rude to her…except at the training grounds. I looked back to Kakashi and smiled lightly. It was almost pitch black now and the stars were starting to appear in the black abyss.

~Now's the perfect time to tell them about Ita-erm-Icatai. The story I told Kakashi I wanted everyone together for.

"Can I go next sensei?" I asked sweetly, smiling to him with my eyes closed. He couldn't stop himself from smiling back to me.

"Go ahead Hikari," he relented. "But, let's keep it mildly sane, 'k? I'd rather not have all of you huddled in my tent tonight."

I heard Sasuke scoff and look back to the flames in front of him, not at all worried about being scared of a fictional story. I smirked and put on a serious face, up for the challenge ahead. Naruto released my hand, knowing that I'd be more intimidating if I wasn't clutching onto someone while telling a ghost story.

"The story I'm about to tell you is of an assassin in the Hidden Mist village," I began lowly. "It is not in the least bit fictional and the true version would be put any sane person into turmoil. But…" I grinned evilly, adding drama to the mood. "I'll tone it down to the PG version for the children in the group."

I felt my teammates light glares at being called children but Kakashi only nodded and urged me to continue. I sat forward and began to relay the story of the Mist assassin, Psyce, Satan's spawn.

"He was called the night assassin, or at least that's what people were calling him. He had been killing people for months now and each time he escaped without a trace, not even the Mist's Jounin could hunt down the man. He was arrogant and conceited, but his skills were outmatched in the village. Many believed that he, if he wished, could hunt even the night itself."

Naruto looked confused by my statement of "hunting the night" and was about to open his mouth when Kakashi gave him a look to be quiet and listen. He obeyed and leaned in towards me a little closer.

"But why would he choose to hunt the night? It was the thing that allowed him to use his "gift" at his full potential. The strangest thing about the killer was his reason for killing." I paused for a moment to look at all their faces, my own serious looking. "He killed because he enjoyed it, enjoyed the power of having another's hopes and dreams in the palm of his hand. Loved being the one to crush them into oblivion. He took his first life at the age of seven when he borrowed a shuriken from his father, an excelling ninja in the village. He used it to kill a bird in a nearby tree. The sight of it bleeding crimson is what hooked him, what made him thirst for blood."

Sasuke stared at the fire intensely, listening to my story. I glimpsed Sakura move a little closer to him, prepared for anything. Naruto stared at me unblinking, waiting for the next part and I was surprised to see Kakashi listening as well. I took in a quick breath and continued.

"Now, he was twenty-four and still alone in his life but thoroughly enjoying it. He'd never felt the need for company. By day, he was known as Psyce, the most successful advisor of the Mizukage. But as night came around, the transformation into the night assassin arose. He would change into his darkest clothes made specifically for this task. He would then begin the night by heading out of his apartment to enter the lonely city. He moved with the swiftness and stealth of a ninja, not a sound emitting from his footsteps. He scaled the buildings and took his position on a rooftop, waiting patiently for his next victim."

I paused for a moment to take out a kunai from my weapon pouch. Everyone's gaze went to it as I held it between my fingers lightly, staring at the shadows the flames created on it.

"A kunai knife…his favorite weapon. I tossed it to my other hand swiftly, causing Naruto and Sakura to jump slightly, then tossed it back to my other hand. "Light and balanced…the perfect tool for killing."

Sasuke nodded, seeming to understand. ~He's probably seen more death than any regular person could handle, let alone live with. I'm thankful that he's been able to hold out so long. It must have been rough.~

"Despite what people said about him, Psyce did not just kill women. He killed many men, many being shinobi of the Mist. Women were just easier to kill, seeing as they were the ones who usually roamed the streets at the ungodly hour. He needed to select a victim carefully, one slip up would cost him his identity and his life. They had to be in the perfect position or a shinobi would easily locate him. He had become their top concern and the Mizukage was in distress every time an innocent bystander was slaughtered without any mercy in the streets of his own city. Pysce traveled along the rooftops, searching for his ideal target. He finally found her, a girl merely 11 years of age."

I could tell Sakura looked disturbed by the reality that a girl only a year younger than herself was going to be a murderers next victim. She clutched at Sasuke's arm but he didn't attempt to shove her off. I don't even think he noticed.

"She had long blonde hair and was draped in a black cloak. She was looking for someone, determination clear in her dark eyes. The man only smirked and licked his lips while looking down at her as if she was something used to satisfy his desires and nothing else. The dark street was no place for a young girl. Psyce followed her, gradually getting closer. The girl found a short cut through an alley and turned into it. His smirk only grew as he silently dropped in behind her, knowing that she would never reach the end of the long road. He sneaks up behind her, watching her nearly invisible black cloak fly behind her as she moves quickly. As he drew closer, he pulled a kunai from his pocket."

I clenched the knife I held tightly and readied myself to reveal the next part, knowing that Kakashi would figure out the meaning behind it in the end.

"He loved the feeling of power, power capable of slicing the throats of hundreds without any resistance. He wanted to have absolute dominance." I laughed shortly. "He was a coward, attacking helpless pedestrians in the night. And yet, they all continued to walk around at the dark hours. Fools. This girl was no different than the hundreds he'd already wasted. He quickened his step and was soon right behind her. He outstretched his knife and placed it in front of the girl's neck. He didn't give her the chance to even cry out before he slit her throat effortlessly. The girl's body crumpled to the ground, her blonde hair fanning out over her face. The man smirked and kicked her hard in the stomach before turning to leave the alley…another successful night of killing. He was not caught once again." I stopped talking and let the story sink in.

"Wait a minute!" Naruto exclaimed as I came to the end. We all looked over to him, most of our faces downcast. He didn't look very happy. "That can't be it! Whatever happened to that Psyce guy?! They caught him right? He can't hurt people anymore right Hikari?"

I let a small smile come to my lips and I closed my eyes before turning towards the fire. "Of course that's not the end Naruto," I said, causing Sakura and him to whirl their heads towards me. "Psyce wasn't caught by the Anbu or by any other shinobi in the Mist." I looked back to the group and they all stared at me intently. "He was caught by the very girl he thought he murdered."

"W-What?" Sakura stuttered. "How is that possible? He slit her throat. He watched her fall to the ground and saw her breathing stop. How could she…?"

"It turned out that that helpless little girl was actually a kunochi, capable of using clones and substitutions. She had sensed the man coming after her and lured him into a trap." Their eyes widened as they took in the information. "They were locked in a major fight, each of them possessing great skills in both speed and strategy. In the end however, the man slammed the young kunochi into a wall of the alley. He overpowered her in physical strength, and her chakra levels were already extremely low from traveling for nearly a week on a bandit's trail. She didn't have the lungs to scream out for help or the strength to get him away from her. She couldn't do anything when the kunai was placed against her throat a second time."

"So she was killed?" I looked at Sasuke, surprised that he interrupted. He met my gaze and I could see the hate in his eyes. "The man got away with killing yet another innocent person?"

"Shh!" Naruto hissed loudly. "Let her finish Sasuke!" Sasuke glared at him fiercely but Naruto ignored it, too busy waiting for me to end the story.

"The girl struggled to her limits. She needed to get him off so she could find the person she was looking for. She needed to find her guardian, her sensei. Suddenly, the man gasped loudly and his grip on her loosened. She fell to the cold ground as Psyce slumped forward against the wall, a katana protruding from his back. She shivered as she watched a shadowy figure wrench the sword from the assassins back, not quite able to take in his figure in her state. The only thing she could see was her saviors porcelain white face and midnight black hair. Behind the person stood two other figures. The taller well built figure with a giant sword on their back. She could hardly make out the other figure because white mask with a single red swirl covered their face. She felt her savior caress her cheek while whispering something she couldn't understand at the time. The bigger figure spoke to the shorter beside him lowly but she couldn't understand anything. The last thing she felt before blacking out were the strong arms of her savior wrapping around her and lifting her up from the cold ground protectively." I grinned slightly and looked up at my team. "The girl survived the ordeal thanks to those people and she also found the important person she was looking for the following day."

Naruto pumped a fist in the air and let out a cheer. "Yes!" he exclaimed happily. "The good guys win and the bad guy gets what he deserves!"

The tension in the air dropped at Naruto's hyperactive cheer and Sakura let a grin come to her face and she let go of Sasuke when he gave her a look. He soon turned back to me with a question in his eyes.

"Where did that girl end up?" He asked with slight interest. "You said that the night assassin was a real story." I could see that Naruto and Sakura were just as curious and I nodded, signaling that I would answer the question.

"Actually Sasuke." We all turned our attention to Kakashi. He wore a light hearted expression as he looked back to us. "I think I can answer your question." He looked to me and I stared back lightly, knowing exactly what he was going to say. "You're that girl, aren't you Hikari?"

Sakura and Naruto gasped loudly and their eyes widened tremendously. Even Sasuke looked shocked with the new knowledge. I straightened up and placed the kunai back in my weapon's pouch. Kakashi was putting the pieces together and was getting everything correct.

"And the person you were looking for was Icatai. This was the mission you were telling me about earlier. The one that you had trouble eating and sleeping."

I nodded and rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. "Yeah…I wasn't the smartest back then," I said with a short smile. "I still can't believe how stupid I was, traveling the Mist Village's streets at two in the morning. That just tells you how determined I was to find Icatai and bring him back to safety."

"Wait a minute," Sakura interrupted, looking from Kakashi to me swiftly. "I'm confused. What are you guys talking about?"

I arched an eyebrow then realized that Naruto and her never heard about this. I didn't remember if I ever told Sasuke. I knew I didn't when his cold eyes fixated on me intently.

"Oh right. Sorry Sakura." I cleared my throat quietly before starting from the beginning. "Icatai left me in a small village for a week so he could complete an A rank mission close to the boundaries of the Mist Village. I didn't know his exact mission until later but anyways. I was left with the mayor of the town and I was given instructions to "be well behaved" and "make sure you train everyday" and things like that from Icatai before he set out, the normal things for a guardian to say to their companion. He was supposed to be back in one week to get paid so we could move on to the next town."

I was yet again interrupted by Naruto. "Why didn't you ever stop and just stay in one town?" he asked, his eye brows furrowing together in confusion. "Didn't you ever get tired of traveling?"

"That's the life of a mercenary Naruto," Kakashi answered, a slight grin under his mask. "You have to keep moving or you'll run out of jobs then money. Mercenaries have to complete missions constantly to keep enough money for food rations and shelter." He looked back to me seriously. "It's a hard life."

I nodded as I thought back to my first years with Pein and Konan, letting a small, almost unnoticeable smirk come to my lips. ~I've been a mercenary almost my entire life. That's really all the Akatsuki was at first, a group of mercenaries, that is, until we earned enough to commence with Pein's true objectives.~

"It really was, but I wouldn't have traded it for anything." I smiled and continued with my story. "Icatai was late coming back from his mission and I was terrified. He was never late, he hardly ever showed up on time. He was always early. It hit the two week mark when I became desperate. I stopped eating completely and I got maybe two hours of sleep for that entire week. I spent my time constantly training, constantly pushing myself over my limits. It's actually a miracle that my body endured all that stress. When three weeks hit, I packed up the small amount of things I had and made my way to the Village of the Hidden Mist."

"Why did you take a trail overrun with bandits when you were in that state?" I looked at Sasuke with a sheepish smile. He looked thoroughly serious and that kind of made me rethink my answer.

"Well…when you're completely desperate to find someone you care about, it doesn't matter how dangerous the path leading to them is. As long as you get to them as soon as possible, it doesn't matter."

"So you could have taken another path?" Naruto chimed in, looking slightly upset. "Did you even think about getting killed by the bandits?"

"Of course," I said without hesitation. "But, as I said before, I didn't care at the moment. I was willing to lay down my life if that meant that a person precious to me was in danger." He nodded, still looking upset but he let me continue. "I was pretty much ready to collapse when I entered the village." I smiled and laughed slightly. "You can't imagine how long it took to convince the guards that I was not an accomplice of the night assassin or an enemy of some sort. I had to go so far as to hand them every single weapon I was carrying, another reason why I shouldn't have walked through the streets at night."

I paused for a moment and let out a sigh. I noticed Sakura giving me a sympathetic look and I was surprised. I smiled slightly to her in thanks and she also let a small smile appear.

"And you know the rest," I said with the wave of my hand. They looked like they were taking in what I'd told them and it was silent for a few minutes before Naruto spoke again.

"So who saved you from that assassin guy? And who were those other two figures behind the person?"

Sakura let out an irritated sigh and looked at Naruto with a scowl on her face. "Isn't it obvious?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips. "It was Icatai Hayate!" She looked at me with hearts in her eyes as she clasped her hands together. "You're guardian found you just in time and saved the day!" She sighed in contempt, most likely wishing that he would sweep her off her feet too.

I nodded and let out a short laugh. "Yeah. Turns out that he was the one who saved me instead of the other way around. I'll never forget that night."

I caught sight of Sasuke clenching his fist and glaring at the flames in disdain. What was wrong with him? I hadn't said anything relating to him at all. Why did he look so angry? I continued with a little hesitation, still lingering on Sasuke's expression.

"That was the mission he was given. To "assassinate" "the assassin" and put an end to his streak in the Mist. The two figures behind him were his partners in the mission and were also shinobi and also mercenaries like us. I actually spent a few months with the younger of the two while Icatai and the older man traveled to nearby villages for work. We were fast friends, almost like siblings. Sadly, I haven't seen or heard from him in three years. And that's the end of my tale." I waved a hand off handedly. "Hope you enjoyed it."

I watched Kakashi grin, glad that I'd told everyone a little about my past. I could tell he wanted to learn more about it just by the way his expressions were shown but he didn't persist with more questions, much to my relief. He didn't want to push me away after I had revealed to them one of my secrets. I still couldn't believe that I'd actually told them that instead of making something up.

I had replayed a true story and it felt good to tell them. Maybe they would start to give me their complete trust now. I was pretty sure that I had Naruto wrapped around my finger and Kakashi was inching his way into trusting me. Sakura still disliked me but that was only because I spent so much time with Sasuke. We'd get along if she wasn't jealous for no reason. Their was nothing going on between the two of us. I barely got along with him. It seemed like he was attempting to be my friend but I could never tell. He was just like his brother, hard to read and apathetic…just not to the length Itachi portrayed.

Soon, a yawn escaped Sakura's lips and she covered her mouth. I couldn't help but follow her example and I was yawning widely as well. I saw Kakashi's smile and cheerful expression from the corner of my eye.

"Looks like the ladies are getting sleepy," he said cheerfully, standing from his spot in the process. "We should all get some rest. We'll be heading back to Konoha at daybreak."

"You read my mind sensei," I said, another yawn escaping my lips as I stood from the log. "Night everyone."

They all said their goodnights to me and stood from there spots as well, all except for Sasuke. I headed over to my sleeping bag and crawled inside, hugging it to me to keep the cold out. I watched Naruto and Sakura follow my lead and head to their sleeping bags next to mine. Naruto was on my left and Sakura was to sleeping bags down, taking the spot to the right of Sasuke's. Kakashi headed in the opposite direction after telling Sasuke to put out the fire when he went to sleep.

I looked back at the fireplace and saw him just sitting there absently, staring down at the flames with dark eyes. I frowned and sat up. Kakashi must have gone to sleep in his tent. Why we had to lay on the ground in sleeping bags while he was in that was beyond my knowledge. Naruto looked up to me in confusion and I ran my hand through my hair once before getting on my knees.

"Go to sleep Naruto," I whispered softly, a small smile gracing my face. "I'll be back soon."

He nodded and closed his eyes before snuggling up into a ball underneath the blanket. His headband lay near his head absently as he slowly fell into unconsciousness. I looked over to Sakura and found her already fast asleep. I was shocked that she could fall asleep so fast but I shrugged it. I stood up and made my way over to my teammate, wondering what had gotten him so riled up earlier.

He didn't seem to notice me when I sat beside him on the log. Neither of us spoke for a few minutes, keeping our eyes fixated on the flames. I shifted to place my hand over his in a comforting gesture. He didn't move and kept his eyes straight ahead. I gripped it slightly and looked up to him, concern evident in my eyes.

"Sasuke? Are you alright?" He still didn't move. "Did something happen?"

He seemed to finally register my voice and my presence because he immediately jerked his hand away and looked in the opposite direction, not bothering to answer. I stared at him with slightly widened eyes. I touched his shoulder and he quickly shrugged away from my touch. I frowned and looked back at the fire. It hurt that I couldn't comfort him like I used to.

"I'm sorry," I whispered softly. I looked back to him for a moment before beginning to stand up. "I'll leave you alone."

I took a step towards my sleeping bag but was stopped by his voice.

"Did that actually happen?" I looked back to him and saw him looking at the fire again. "Were you almost killed in the Mist Village?" I turned to face him completely with a small smile.

"Yes. I only survived because Icatai found me. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here right now."

His eyes finally met mine and I saw slight resentment in them. Was he upset that I was saved? I felt pain in my chest from the thought of him wanting me dead. Did he really dislike me that much? I adverted my eyes to the ground and awaited a comment along those thoughts, mentally preparing myself for anything.

"I guess I'll have to thank him sometime." I heard the amusement in his voice and I looked back up, slightly taken back. He traced his eyes down to the spot where I had just been sitting, hate no longer in his obsidian orbs, only discomfort. "Would you…like to stay for a while?"

When he attempted to look back up to me, his face was slightly red with embarrassment at his question. His eyes just couldn't meet mine and I could only smile at him, my heart bursting with joy. He was finally opening up to me!

I took the seat next to him without hesitation and was finally able to meet his gaze. "I'd like that a lot." He smirked lightly, the closest thing to a true smile I'd seen him show in years. We both stayed silent and stared up through the forest canopy, enjoying the view of the bright stars shining down on us.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Itachi's Pov

I strode into the kitchen, removing the Anbu mask and placing it on the counter. I noticed a note on the refrigerator. It was written in Hikari's script. Kakashi sent us on a "team bonding" camping trip for two days. I should be home late Wednesday night…if I don't get lost in the forest. Just wanted to let you know in case you came back sooner. Love, Hikari.

I couldn't suppress the smirk that came to my lips. Kakashi taking a group of Genin on a "team bonding" trip seemed highly unlikely. I could only imagine my former serious partner on an expedition like that. He must have changed a great deal.

It occurred to me that today was Wednesday, late Wednesday evening to be exact. She must have still been in the forest, or in her room. After eating a small dinner, I walked up the stairs to my room, not overly tired from my mission, but enough so to desire sleep. I sensed Hikari's presence upstairs, as well as three other different presences that I recognized. Her teammates.

I didn't bother to go upstairs. She could take care of herself and her comrades without my assistance. I just had to make sure I locked the door when my transformation disabled in my sleep.

I opened the door to my room without a second thought, ready for a shower before going to bed. My eyes widened slightly and I stepped out of the way as a mountain of pink and red boxes and packages crashed out of my room. I stared at the boxes impassively, wondering why they were stacked in my room of all places.

Noticing a card attached to a giant stuffed animal, I briskly picked it up and read it over. **Hope you like this Mr. Hayate! You're awesome! **All of these gifts…were for me? Why were their boxes of flowers and stuffed animals for me? And they're pink…my least favorite color.

I glanced at another note and found out the answer to my question. **Hikari said that this was your favorite color so I got you the biggest pink bear I could find! Don't worry Mr. Hayate! You don't have to hide your sensitive side from me!**

My eye visibly twitched in irritation. ~Hikari…I should have known she wouldn't be able to last a week without pulling something. She's been around that sadistic artist far too long. He's a bad influence on her.~

I realized why Hikari was upstairs only seconds later. I immediately opened the doors to the other rooms and stepped back. The gifts flowed out and crashed into the hallway, leaving me among an ocean of pink, white, and red. It reminded me of the Valentine's Day festival that took place every year in Konoha.

Hikari must have heard the last crashes of the gifts because she was making her way down the stairs quickly. I heard her run into the wall in her half dazed state when she came to the end of the stairs. She tripped over a box near the last one and landed in the midst of a pile of stuffed animals with a light groan.

I gripped her upper arm firmly and pulled her to her feet. She wobbled slightly and fell against my chest with a "thud". She was clearly half asleep. I wouldn't have been surprised if she woke up tomorrow and forgot everything.

She pulled back slightly and I held her arms to hold her steady. She looked up to me with a smile and drooping eyes.

"Hey Icatai," she greeted, her voice distant. "Welcome home."

I bent my head slightly to reach her eye level. "Where did all these things come from?" I asked lowly, trying to make her focus by shaking her slightly. She never acted like this. It was strange to say the least, strange that her guard was completely down. She was vulnerable for the first time in years.

"I'm glad you're back," she answered, completely missing my question. "I missed you."

I arched an eyebrow and opened my mouth to ask again when her eyes completely closed and she slumped forward. I caught her and held her for a second, looking down at the sleeping figure in my arms.

~It will have to wait until morning.~ I bent down and lifted her into my arms easily. Her arms hung limply and her head came to rest near my shoulder. I held her firmly and carried her up the stairs at a leisurely pace. ~Her trip must have tired her out. ~

I came to the top of the stairs and turned towards the beds, finding the three Genin I was expecting. Walking over to the beds, I scanned the three briefly, noticing that they all had some sort of dirt or grime on them from the forest. The blonde-haired boy was sprawled out in a disfigured pose on top of one, loud snores escaping his mouth. The pink haired kunochi looked peaceful, not moving in the slightest.

My little brother was on the next bed. His face was contorted in a pain and I assumed he was having a nightmare. A bad one at that. His hand clenched the sheets roughly, his knuckles nearly white from stress. I could have comforted him, I should have comforted him, but all I did was stare down at him apathetically. He was none of my concern at the moment.

I noticed a book on the floor beside his bed, a bookmark at its side. He must have finished it. I scanned the title and narrowed my eyes. _Classified: Missing-Nin. _

~A book of filled with collections of several missing-nin. I should…be mentioned close to the end.~

I felt a twinge of pain when I heard Sasuke murmur something about revenge in his sleep and I turned my narrowed eyes to him. Reading that book must have been a partial reason for his discomfort. The bed next to him was in a disarray from where Hikari had been sleeping but I looked it over and decided to comfort Sasuke without actually doing anything.

I placed Hikari down next to him, listening to her slight protest in her sleep from being removed from the warmth of my body. I released her and took a step back to watch her movements. As I expected, she unconsciously looked for a new source of warmth and found it in my brother. She curled up against him and snuggled her head against his chest before letting out a sigh of contempt.

Sasuke seemed to calm down after a few seconds and moved to rest against the warmth beside him as well, taking comfort in the presence. His face morphed slowly back to peace after he situated himself, his arms coming to rest around Hikari's upper back and waist. He held her tenderly and firmly, not going to let her go any time soon.

I avoided my eyes from the innocent scene and turned my back on them. I looked to the blonde haired boy as the thought of taking him right then came to mind. The mission could end tonight. All I had to do was reach out and…

I shook away the thoughts. Now was not the time to act. Our time would come soon enough. I instead picked the book up from the ground and looked through it while walking towards the stairs. I wanted to see exactly what they'd wrote about me.

I walked through the piles of various items and down to the first floor, never taking my eyes from the pages. I picked up the Anbu mask from the counter in the kitchen while shedding my black shirt and Konoha vest with one hand. I threw them against the chair and kicked off my shoes. I sat down on the couch, set the mask beside me, and flipped on the lamp near my seat.

Many of my acquaintances from the Organization were mentioned, none telling completely accurate information. Not surprising. I flipped over the biographies of Hoshigaki Kisame, Akasuna no Sasori, and surprisingly Deidara's. I smirked at his profile picture and wondered how he even managed to earn a page in the book.

I let out a short sigh when I turned to the page that held what I was looking for. My profile. I read over part of the biography briefly. It was nearly four years old and the picture was taken in my Anbu Uniform.

Name: Uchiha Itachi  
Age: 13  
Height: 5ft 5in

Weight: 120lbs  
Birthday: June 9  
Blood Type: AB  
Immediate Family:

Father: Uchiha Fugaku– Captain of Konohagakure Police Force (Deceased)

Mother: Uchiha Mikoto (Deceased)

Siblings: Uchiha Sasuke

Registration #: 012110

Former Position: ANBU Black Ops Captain  
Classified: S-Ranked Criminal

Present Location: UNKNOWN

Uchiha Itachi graduated top of his Academy class at age 7, had mastered the Sharingan by age 8, became a Chūnin at 10 and was previously an ANBU Black Ops captain at the age of 13.

I grimaced as I read more of the "biography". They only put in what they wanted someone to read. They didn't mention anythingabout a war taking place if I had sided with the clan. They didn't mention anything about the Hokage and the council ordering him to murder every member of his family, every person who was important to him.

A growl sounded in the back of his throat when he read over the part about his brother.

Uchiha Itachi left his brother alive for an unknown reason. Many theories have developed. One being that he merely wanted Sasuke to suffer for no apparent reason. Only a man of evil would want to abandon an eight year old boy and make him watch his family die before his very eyes. Uchiha Itachi never loved his brother, only used him to gain trust between the-

I shut the book after that passage, knowing that I would not be able to take all the lies written in that book, knowing that the truth would never be known to any citizen of Konoha as long as the Hokage and Council ruled.

Letting out a low sigh, I slipped the Anbu mask over my face and dropped the book on the floor before turning off the light. I was sleeping on the couch tonight.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Sasuke's Pov

I blinked against the harsh sunlight entering the room before realizing the problem. There was sunlight! I nearly leaped out of bed when I remembered something.

~Wait… Kakashi gave us the morning off. We don't have to meet him until four.~ I was about to climb out of bed anyways when I took notice of something against my body. _Someone _to be exact. I froze as I felt their heartbeat and felt their long hair brush against my neck. A female body was wrapped in my arms and curled against my chest, their hands gripping the shirt I had not discarded the night before.

I prayed that it wasn't Sakura when I looked down. A flash of blonde caught my now widened obsidian orbs. What…?! Hikari was curled up against me peacefully, her deep breaths signaling that she was still asleep. I didn't move. She would wake up if I so much as breathed the wrong way and I didn't want to deal with this situation.

~Why the heck is she in my bed anyway? Wasn't she sleeping over there?~ I turned my eyes to her bed and found it messed up. ~Maybe she was having a nightmare or something.~ My eyebrows furrowed in irritation when I thought about it. ~But that doesn't mean she can just crawl in my bed.~

I finally made up my mind when I heard Sakura moving around behind me. I moved my arms away from her and slowly and cautiously removed her hands from my shirt before placing them at her sides. She frowned at the loss of warmth when I hurried out of the bed before she could curl back up to me. There was no way that I was going to be caught by Sakura or Naruto with Hikari in my bed.

I could only imagine what Kakashi would say. My mind immediately went to dirty places and I scowled in disgust at what my sensei's thoughts and comments would be. I could only imagine the lecture he would give me. I'd already received my fair share and I didn't want another one concerning her.

I picked up my bag and headed for the bathroom to take a shower, aware that I was still dirty from the two-day hiking trip. I gazed in the mirror as I walked by and saw dirt smudged against my face and my dark hair sticking up in the wrong places. I grimaced before striping down and getting into the stream of hot water.

I thought back to two nights ago around the fire. Hikari and I had stayed up for a few more hours just talking about different things, nothing of any importance but we still talked. I had felt…comfortable talking to her. That was the first real conversation I had had since I was young. I would never admit this to anyone, but I did enjoy the feeling of companionship. Maybe Hikari could be my friend.

I smirked and rinsed my hair out. I would definitely consider her before any of my other teammates. ~At least she has some skills to back her up. The others are just annoying.~ I closed my eyes and let the steaming water rush over me. ~She's said that she wanted to be friends multiple times… Maybe it's time that I consider her offer.~

I remembered that today was the day that Hikari was no longer required to work for me. I let out a nearly silent groan ran a hand through my now clean hair.

~Which means she can go back to playing pranks and saying whatever she wants about me. But…I have a feeling that she won't say anything thoroughly insulting about me. She's not the kind of person to backstab someone she is loyal to.~

I stepped out of the shower, dried off, and got dressed. I combed my hair back to its normal state then walked passed the completely fogged up mirror to exit the steamed room.

"Morning Sasuke!" I ignored Sakura's greeting and instead tossed my bag on my bed with a "thud".

Hikari felt the bed jump and immediately woke up. I grinned when I noticed her appearance. Her hair was sticking out in every direction, looking slightly like Naruto's and spots of dirt lined her jaw line and parts of her cheeks. She blinked once before sitting up and rubbing her eyes roughly.

I saw Sakura get out of bed and walk over to Naruto's, stomping her feet as she marched. She hit him in the head and yelled at him to wake up. He jolted awake and rubbed his head.

"OW!" He exclaimed, looking at Sakura sadly. "What was that for?! I was having the best dream ever! There was ramen everywhere and I was-."

"I don't care Naruto! Just get up already! Everyone else is already awake!" I saw her glance back at Hikari when she let out a long yawn. "Well, sort of."

She looked at Hikari with a small grin, acting more friendly to her since her story a few nights ago. The two had actually spent a good deal talking to each other on the way back, much to Naruto and my discomfort when Sakura switched the topic to guys and shopping, somehow combing them in the same sentence. The two did not even need to be used in the conversation together in my opinion.

I turned my attention to the half-sleeping girl who was getting out of bed. "You need a shower," I said lowly. She turned to me with tired eyes. "You look horrible." I smirked at her now glaring eyes. She hit my arm lightly as she reached down to get her bag.

"Well excuse me for…" She let her sentence hang when she couldn't find it. She finally looked down and noticed it wasn't there. She frowned slightly. "That's weird. I could have sworn I put my bag on the left side of my bed."

I froze but remained calm, knowing that she was right. Her gaze traveled to the bed beside mine and her eyes widened slightly when she noticed that it was messed up like the other three.

She put two and two together and gazed over to me with a light blush on her cheeks before climbing to the side of the other bed. "Err...I must have put it here I guess," she said lightly, talking mostly to Naruto and Sakura. "Well, I'm going to get cleaned up before I fix us some food." She looked at Sakura and Naruto. "Um…I think there's another bathroom on the other side of that room." She pointed to a door against the far wall. "One of you can use that one too."

"Sweet!" Naruto exclaimed, leaping from his bed, his bag already on his shoulders. "I can finally get all this dirt o-."

The door slammed shut before he could even take a step towards it, Sakura clearly not letting him take one before her. His head dropped and he looked glum and I smirked at his misfortune.

"That's alright Naruto," Hikari broke in, tossing her bag over her shoulder. "I'll take one downstairs. You can have that one."

He grinned broadly and waved at her as he ran to the bathroom. "Thanks Hikari! You're awesome!"

She smiled back but he did not see, already having the door shut behind him. Now that we were alone, I felt…different. Uncomfortable or awkward would describe it best. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and walked to the door, wanting to escape the unfamiliar feeling.

Unfortunately, the cause of it was right behind me.

"Hey, um, Sasuke?" I nodded my head once in acknowledgement. "This is going to be an awkward question but umm…How did I end up in your bed last night?"

My first thought was to throw back some kind of insult or an uncaring gesture but I changed my mind at the last second. I was…attempting to start a friendship and the starting point was not an insult. So I didn't say anything at first, not knowing how to respond. I didn't even know the answer! I just woke up and there was a freakin girl in my arms! How the heck was I supposed to know why she was there?!

"…Did you have a nightmare?" I asked apathetically, moving down the stairs. That seemed good enough.

I heard her hum in thought. "I don't think so," she said lightly, thinking back to the night before. "All I remember is the four of us collapsing on our beds when we got back. You all agreed to stay here because it was closest and you didn't want to walk any further. But…" I looked over my shoulder and met her thoughtful gaze. "I vaguely remember getting up in the middle of the night."

She rubbed her head on the left side tenderly and hissed slightly when she pressed too hard. She took it away after a moment.

"And hitting my head against…something after walking down the stairs. But I don't remember how I got back upstairs." She shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "Must have been a dream."

I arched an eyebrow. ~Then why would your head hurt? Lose-.~ He sighed silently as he caught himself. ~This is going to be harder than I thought.~

We reached the last step and I stopped abruptly and looked over the hallway. Red and pink boxes overflowed the area. Flowers, stuffed animals, and chocolates showed through in some places.

Hikari came to my side and I watched her eyes widen slightly. "Shoot," she said, walking forward, stepping in the small gaps between the boxes. "I guess it wasn't a dream."

I followed her quickly and looked at the rooms where the boxes had come from. I couldn't even see the insides of them. ~So, this is why we slept upstairs. Where did all these packages come from? It looks like the Valentine's Day festival.~ I glanced down and noticed a few cards on the packages, all addressed to _Mr. Hayate._

I grimaced and looked back forward. I disliked the man. I didn't know why, it was just his aura I guess. I jumped over the last section of boxes and avoided landing in the same place as Hikari.

"What are all these packages for?" She hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Hehe…" She laughed nervously, taking the first step downstairs. "I think someone in this village may actually have more fan girls than you Sasuke."

~But why would everything be all girly? Any girl with common sense would have given a ninja something useful to gain his attention. I should know. I have a room full of books on "becoming a ninja".~ She looked to me with a slight grin that screamed she was guilty of something and the solution formed. ~Hikari…~

"You told those girls that he liked this kind of stuff didn't you?" I smirked when she nodded with another nervous laugh. "I'm positive that you're going to be punished."

She shrugged and continued walking down the stairs. "You never know. His favorite color could have changed to pink overnight."

My smirk only grew and I passed her at the bottom of the stairs to head into the kitchen. I looked over my shoulder to the girl a few feet behind. "And maybe Naruto will become mute after his shower."

I watched her grin before she started laughing. "Ah, touché." I noticed her eyes divert from me and look at something in the kitchen. "Oh, good morning Icatai! How'd everything go?"

I swiveled around to look into the kitchen, a pointed glare on my face. The refrigerator was open and he stood behind it, hiding him from our view. The sounds of him rummaging through it were evident before he finally found what he was looking for. He pulled back and shut the door.

His torso was bare and spiky black tresses fell in his ice-colored eyes. He carried a bowl full of eggs, pint of milk, two sticks of butter and other food items. He stared evenly at the both of us, analyzing our figures. My eyes narrowed further when he began to look at me. His eyes met mine for a few seconds and I held them in a threat. I wasn't going to let him analyze me like I was some kind of window shop item. His eyes fell on Hikari soon after as he answered her question.

"…Fine," he answered apathetically. "It went well. My inauguration into Anbu will occur in one month from tomorrow." He paused to set the items near the huge stove before pulling out two pans and a large bowl. He didn't bother to say anymore about his position and moved on. "Was Kakashi's "trip" that horrendous?" He said evenly, glancing over his shoulder to her. He scanned her appearance over quickly once more before turning back to his work. "You look horrible."

I smirked at his comment as Hikari frowned and glared at him lightly. "Well we all don't come back from a camping trip looking like you Mr. Hotshot," she huffed.

He decided not to comment and turned the stove on. He cracked two eggs into the bowl and tossed the shells into the wastebasket beside him before repeating the action several more times.

I heard her sigh and open a drawer. She pulled out a whisk and tossed it to Icatai without a second thought. It looked like it was going to hit him in the side but it never reached it. All he did was open his hand in the spot and the whisk landed in his palm without him slowing down or breaking his tempo. He tossed the last of the eggshells out and began to beat the eggs at a moderate pace. He obviously had practice.

"Well," she began, breaking the awkward tension. She looked to me and smiled. "I'm going to get cleaned up. Why don't you help Icatai with breakfast? Just between you and me…"

I looked at her strangely when she put up a hand as a barrier between her face and Icatai so she could tell me some sort of secret.

"He needs all the help he can get."

She whispered it loudly obviously trying to get a reaction from her guardian. We both looked over to him briefly. He didn't even react and Hikari smiled.

"Whatever then. You've got an assistant Icatai." I scowled at the title. I was no one's "assistant" and I would _never _be referred to _his _assistant. She walked to a door on the far wall and waved over her shoulder. "I'll be out in half an hour. Don't wait up if you finish sooner."

Her eyes lit up in realization after a second and she walked back over quickly, pulling me towards her guardian. We stopped a couple feet behind him and she pulled on his arm lightly to make him turn around. He reluctantly did so as he let out a breath. He looked at the two of us with slight irritation and I couldn't help but clench my fist at the situation. What was she doing?

She let go of my wrist and gestured to me while looking to Icatai. "Icatai, this is my teammate Sasuke Uchiha." She looked back to me and gestured to him. "Sasuke, this is my guardian Icatai Hayate."

We met each other's gaze once again and from this distance, I could see how cold and hard his eyes really were. I could tell that he saw the distaste in mine but his composed demeanor didn't change.

She looked back and forth between us for a second before sighing and heading towards the bathroom door again. "Make sure you fix enough for Sakura and Naruto too guys."

With that, she closed and locked the door behind her. I broke eye contact with Hayate and looked at the door she had disappeared behind. After a few seconds, I moved my gaze from that spot, silently cursing Hikari for leaving me alone with this man. I turned around and glared at him again when he turned back to his work, thinking back to the first time I had met him.

Flashback

_The man grabbed Hikari wrist roughly and pulled her down from the desk forcefully, making her gasp shortly. I was taken back. That confident girl from earlier had taken my glare but a quick gesture like that made her cringe and look at him in slight fear. I wasn't fond of that at all._

"_What is it?" she asked the man, almost sounding scared. She turned to look at me for a slight second but I was too focused on glaring down the imposing man to acknowledge her._

_He leaned down to whisper something in her ear lightly. Her face became a light shade of red for a moment and I could tell she was blushing at his close contact. When he leaned back, he began pulling her to the door, not sparing the three of us a glance. _

_~Who the heck is this guy? Moreover, why is he kidnapping my teammate?~ I honestly didn't care if he took that annoying female away. I hoped she wouldn't come back so I could go back to my normal lifestyle._

"_You idiot!" Hikari exclaimed, grabbing onto the dobe. "Do you w__ant him to kill you?" Sakura looked at her in confusion and I couldn't help but copy her action. She moved her hand and Naruto looked somewhat startled. "I apologize for him," She said quickly. "He's… just overprotective and he needs to tell me something important. Okay, I'll tell you guys everything later, I promise." _

_She__ looked to all of us again. Naruto's expression rose only slightly and Sakura still looked terrified. When I felt her eyes on me, I avoided her gaze._

"_Some guardian," I said lowly, not expecting anyone to hear. No one brought it up so I guessed they didn't hear anything._

_She smiled at the three of us reassuringly. Why did we need reassuring? It's not like the man was going to do her any harm. "He's a great guy, once you get to know him. Icatai will warm up." She turned around and slid the door open. I only smirked and closed my eyes. I could tell that would never happen._

End Flashback

I clenched my fists at the memory, wondering what he had to tell her that was so important. Then, we all found Icatai pinning her to a wall, looking like he was threatening her about something. The man was insane.

"…Are you just going to stand their and glare at me?" I snapped out of my thoughts and I met his cold blue eyes evenly. He was still beating the eggs but he was partially facing me now. "Or are you going to make yourself useful and help out?" He nodded towards a pile of vegetables and a knife. "You can start with those."

He turned back towards the stove and poured a small amount of milk into the egg batter before beating it again. "Don't order me around," I snapped back. There was no way that this man was going to demand me of anything.

Reluctantly, I walked over and took the knife in my hand and a couple spicy red peppers. I stood 5ft down from him to distance myself as much as possible. We didn't say another word to each the rest of the time, giving me time to notice what I was cutting. _Spicy _red peppers. I smirked.

~Time for my revenge.~

­­­­­­­­

Hikari's Pov

One Hour later…

We all were sitting at the rectangular dinner table. The seating proved to be somewhat difficult to organize, seeing that Sakura and Naruto were nearly terrified to be anywhere close to Itachi. Itachi sat at the head of the table, I sat on his left, Sasuke on his right, Sakura next to him, and Naruto next to me.

The introductions went surprisingly well. Naruto and Sakura managed to stutter out their names and Itachi responded by giving out his name and a small nod of acknowledgement towards them. At least it was a start.

He and Sasuke had made omelets for everyone. They were filled with different vegetables, small pieces of bacon and sausage, and cheese. Everything at breakfast was moving smoothly…if complete silence counted. No one had anything to say, not even Naruto! Whatever kind of aura Itachi was emitting was frightening and awe-inspiring enough to keep everyone silent.

I tried on a few occasions to start a conversation, each time was declined when they would only speak a few words in response. I finally gave up and picked up the fork to eat my omelet, making sure that it was safe to eat. Naruto had already eaten four so I assumed they were okay.

I cut through part of it as I thought about today's events. ~We're meeting Kakashi at the bridge at four and I'm meeting Neji at the training field around noon, giving me…~ I looked at the clock on the wall. ~Two hours of free time. Hmm… I haven't seen Hinata in a while. Maybe I could go visit her. Oh! I can even bring over a huge bouquet! I can imagine the smile on her face now!~

I took the large bite in my mouth and savored the taste. I smiled in contempt. Itachi and Sasuke had done a nice job fixing the-.

My mouth suddenly throbbed and I gasped lightly, causing everyone to glance over to me, even Itachi looked like he was paying attention. I grabbed my glass of milk and downed it in a second before taking Naruto's and Itachi's as well. They both looked at me like I was crazy but I didn't care at the moment. My mouth was on fire!

I jumped up from my chair and ran over to the refrigerator to grab a gallon of water. I placed it at my lips and drank the ice water as if my life depended on it. After half the gallon was gone, I felt my tongue numb into just a tingling feeling and I set it down on the counter.

I breathed in once deeply before closing the lid on the gallon and returning it to the fridge. When I finished, I calmly entered the dining room once again, my plan to glare right at the two Uchiha's for setting me up. I walked in and found Itachi looking up to me, an eyebrow arched and a question in his eyes.

He didn't know anything so that meant that Sasuke…I looked right and found his seat empty. ~That-That-That jerk! I can't believe he-. Actually, that was probably revenge for the whole rice prank. But why do both our recent pranks all have to deal with food! Am I getting that bad at pranks? …I need to get some ideas from Deidara.~

I mumbled under my breath and turned to all three of them. "Where'd he go?" My tongue felt swollen and my words came out in a jumble of sounds. I narrowed my eyes at that. This was way more than I had done to him. I couldn't even talk now!

"What'd you say Hikari?" Sakura asked, tilting her head slightly in confusion.

"Yeah, and why are you talking like that," Naruto chimed in, trying not to burst out laughing. "You sound like your tongue's inflated in your mouth." I gave Naruto a light glare and he seemed to get the idea that that was indeed the problem.

I repeated my question to Sakura and she managed to catch the main point. "Oh! You want to know where Sasuke went!" I nodded and she pointed to the front door. "He walked out the door right after you left the room. He said he needed to go training or something. Why do you want to know?"

I was making my way to the door as she asked her question and I opened it before pointing to Itachi, telling them to ask him. I was positive that he knew about Sasuke's "revenge", even if he acted like he didn't. I shut the door behind me and ran down the path to the training grounds.

I turned a corner at the end of the street and spotted him walking away in the distance, looking over his shoulder towards me, knowing that I would follow him. I glared at him when I caught the smirk and you-got-what-you-deserved look on his face. When I began running after him he took off, running faster than a week ago. He was improving. But he still wasn't fast enough to outrun me, not by a long shot and when I caught up with him, he was in for it.

Two weeks later…

"Kakashi. Key."

"Sasuke. Point A."

"Hikari at point C."

"Sakura. I'm at point D."

No one else spoke in the earpiece for a few more seconds and the four of us became agitated. Finally, static ran through it.

"Naruto at Point B."

"Naruto. You're too slow," Kakashi said through the earpiece. "Alright. Do you have visual of the target?"

I looked down from the tree branch I was kneeling on and analyzed the forest area lazily. These missions were getting more and more ridiculous as the days went by. I found Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto hiding behind trees on the opposite side of the clearing. Our target was sitting on the ground in the center of the open area, completely oblivious to us. We had it surrounded. I held the earphone's button down to speak.

"Visual of the target confirmed," I reported with a short yawn. "Sorry." I looked over to Sasuke and found him staring up to me, waiting for my command since I had the best view of the target. I waited only a moment before nodding to him. "We're ready to move in."

"How far away is the target?" Kakashi asked, boredom evident in his voice. I grinned. He was getting fed up with these missions as well.

"Five meters and closing," Naruto answered in irritation. "How much longer are we going to have to wait?! We're all ready to go!"

"All right! Go!"

My teammates ran out at towards the target, Naruto leaping in the air and yelling out as he did so. The target must have noticed because it began to run away from him, and right into my area. Naruto landed face first in a bush when it dodged. I jumped down from the branch and landed in front of him, cutting off his retreat and giving Naruto enough time to get up and grab him.

"Gotcha!" He exclaimed loudly, holding the cat to him tightly. The cat meowed angrily and began scratching him to pieces. Sakura was laughing at his misfortune and Naruto was trying his best to get the claws away. I walked over to help as Sasuke reported back to Kakashi.

"Remember, Our quarry has a ribbon on its right ear that says "Tiger"…Make sure there's no mistake."

I managed to pry the cat off Naruto before it could claw his eyes out. I held it in my arms, restraining its arms and legs so it couldn't claw me. I checked it's ear and found a red ribbon with "Tiger" sewn into it in gold thread. I gave Sasuke a nod and he returned it before talking into the earpiece.

"Target confirmed."

"Good!" Kakashi's voice didn't sound the least bit excited in his exclamation. "Then "Mission Find the Missing Pet" is accomplished. Meet back at the Hokage tower."

The connection cut off and they removed their earpieces soon after. I tilted my head towards Naruto since he was closest and he removed the black thing from my ear.

"Thank you." I held the cat a little tighter when it began to struggle in my grip. I looked at his cut up face and arms and frowned. "Remind me to heal those when we get to the tower."

He rubbed the back of his head and we began our walk back to the village. "You don't need to bother Hikari. It's just a few cuts. Nothing bad."

I smiled and nodded. "Whatever you want."

The four of us walked through the town silently, earning a few strange looks from some people passing by. The cat finally calmed down enough for me to hold it properly and I did so.

As we passed by Konoha's orphanage, I couldn't help but smile lightly at the dozens of pink and red boxes I could see through the window. Seeing that Itachi didn't want them, I decided to donate them to the place, asking for my teammates help in transporting everything of course. Somehow, Kakashi had found a large cart that was being rented out by some elderly couple. With that, we were able to move everything from my house to the building in five trips. That took up over half of our day. Now I owed Kakashi two meals and a favor. What kind of favor? I had no idea.

The people at the orphanage were overjoyed and offered us payment but we refused. I was just glad that they enjoyed the gifts of stuffed animals and chocolate…though Itachi did keep a few boxes. At least he like some of the gifts.

We noticed the tower in the distance and I hoped that the Hokage would assign us a decent mission this time. We were all getting restless, especially Naruto. I analyzed the path we were taking, looking for anything eye-catching in the area but ending up finding nothing that interesting. Was there anything to do in Konoha?

I brightened up when I noticed a familiar trio walking down the street. I waved over to them and held the cat in one hand. "Hey Hinata! Kiba! Shino!"

They looked towards the sound and met my spirited expression before waving back. I looked down at the nearly sleeping cat and frowned. Naruto must have read my expression because he put out his arms to take the cat. I handed it over with a smile before jogging up to my three friends without a word.

I felt Sasuke stare after me and I heard Sakura ask where I was going. I just let Naruto answer for me. I came to stop in front of the three of them and smiled brightly. "Hey guys," I said happily. "What's up?"

Akamaru barked once in greeting and I reached over to pat him on the head. Kiba grinned, glad that Akamaru had taken a liking to me, before speaking up.

"Nothing much," he said in a laid-back tone. "Kurenai-sensei just keeps giving us these simple D-ranked missions. I'm getting real tired of picking up trash and baby-sitting a bunch of snot-nosed brats all day."

I grinned and rubbed the back of my neck. "Sounds a lot like our group," I said with a laugh. "I think Naruto's going to blow a gasket if we have to do anymore work like that."

"Wouldn't surprise me in the least!" I laughed with him for a moment before looking over at the two quiet members of his group. Shino just stood there unmoving, not really caring about our conversation. Hinata was fiddling with her fingers nervously and was blushing slightly.

"T-thank you f-for the fl-flowers Hikari," she said quietly. "They were r-really beautiful." I was about to answer when I heard Naruto yell out suddenly.

I whipped around, ready for anything, but relaxed when it was only the cat messing with him again. The cat must have sensed Akamaru nearby and was freaking out. Naruto was getting cut up again and I sighed irritably before reaching out a taking it from him again, managing to let one of its claws sliced my cheek on accident. I flinched before holding down its appendages with my arms.

"UGH!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, pointing threateningly at the cat. "You stupid animal! I outta-."

Sakura cut him off by giving him a smack on the back of the head. "Stop yelling at it Naruto!" she exclaimed angrily. "It's just a cat!"

"But Sakura," he whined. "Look what it did to me." He pointed to his scratched up face and arms.

She crossed her arms over her chest and smirked evilly. "It serves you right for grabbing it so harshly." He groaned and I laughed mentally. Could he ever get a break from Sakura and Sasuke's insults? Actually, Sasuke didn't comment for once. He kept silent during our whole conversation, looking off to something else to avoid eye contact with any members of the other team. He didn't consider them to be anything more than competition for his squad.

I noticed Hinata's face become a darker shade of red and she looked like she was beginning to sweat. She kept glancing up at Naruto quickly before looking down to her fingers nervously. I smiled as I watched her shy and timid gestures.

~She has a crush on Naruto. How sweet. They would look cute together.~ I noticed the concern in her eyes and immediately came up with the solution.

"Come on guys," I said, nudging Naruto in the direction of the Hokage tower. "Kakashi-sensei must be wondering where we are." I looked at Naruto wounds and frowned. "And I'm going to heal up those scratches even if you don't want me to so don't be stubborn."

He grumbled under his breath but Hinata looked relieved. "See ya 'round," Kiba answered, glaring slightly at the cat in my arms. Akamaru didn't seem to fond of it either so I hurried past them.

"Yeah. Bye Kiba, Hinata, Shino." I nodded once to each of them before continuing down the path, Sakura and Sasuke following close behind.

The four of us entered the room where missions were assigned and I was instantly jumped by the large woman who had requested our help. She snatched the cat out of my hands and clutched it to her chest tight enough to suffocate it.

I sighed as I watched the awkward reunion. "Poor Tiger…Good little Kitty-Kitty. I was so worried about you sweetie! You could have died!" I saw Naruto smirk and I could only guess that he was thinking that animal got what it deserved.

I looked over to the table and found Kakashi leaning against it casually, talking to Iruka about something. Sakura called him over as I turned towards Naruto, making the healing light appear on my fingers.

"Hold still for a minute Naruto." He frowned, not liking that I was babying him in front of Sasuke, but he reluctantly complied. I traced my fingers over the shallow cuts on his arms before moving to his face. Surprisingly, the cuts were almost healed before I even touched them. Did the Kyubi have anything to do with that?

I finished up before tracing a finger over my own cheek, the cut seeming to wipe off my face. "Thanks, Hikari," Naruto mumbled, avoiding looking at Sasuke. I didn't see the glare that Sasuke was shooting towards Naruto the entire time I was healing him.

Kakashi stood at our sides as we reported back that our mission was a success. The Hokage and Iruka nodded before shifting through more papers on the desk. I was praying that we had do something other than cleaning that river again. It had been a day and I still didn't feel clean.

The Hokage finally found an assignment and looked it over. "Now," he began in monotone. "The next assignment for Team 7 will be…hmm…to babysit for the council of elders…to run errands to the neighboring village…to help dig sweet potatoes…"

"NO WAY!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, cutting him off. I looked at him from the corner of my eyes. "No thank you! That's boring! Give us something different to do! Something amazing!"

I couldn't agree more. There was no way I was going to babysit again. Sasuke seemed to be thinking the same thing. Sakura looked annoyed. She didn't want to do anything else. She was happy with doing these simple tasks. Kakashi wanted Naruto to shut up, not wanting to be lectured later about how he "couldn't control his students."

"I agree with him Lord Hokage," I chimed in, earning a glance from him and Iruka. "These D-Ranked missions are getting ridiculously simple. We can do more."

Iruka stood from his chair and looked at Naruto and I, shocked that we would disagree with the Hokage. He couldn't believe that _I_ would speak out against him.

"Don't be fools!" He exclaimed. "You're only beginners! Everyone starts out doing grunt work!" He motioned towards Kakashi. "Even Kakashi has weeded for a mission when he started out! You get experience so you can work your way up to the biggest things!"

I looked over Kakashi and saw him tilt his head in confusion as he looked to Iruka. ~He doesn't remember pulling weeds…he probably never did…~

"We've done tons of small stuff! Can't we get some action?!"

Kakashi punched Naruto in the back of the head to shut him up. I caught his arm before his face met the floor. "Naruto, that's enough. Knock it off." I helped him stand up straight, shooting a light glare at Kakashi. He didn't respond and looked back to the table.

The Hokage's face morphed into a serious form as he leaned towards the five of us slightly. "Apparently, Naruto and Hikari need an explanation of just what these duties are. "You see, every day, our village receives many requests. For everything from babysitting to assassination."

Naruto sat down and completely toned out the Hokage's lecture. "Hmm…I had pork ramen for lunch yesterday…so I think I'll have miso ramen today." He looked over to me. "What kind are you going to get?"

I hummed to myself quietly. "Chicken sounds pretty good to me." I turned to my other teammates. "What about you guys?"

"I think I'll get the beef flavored kind today," Sakura whispered back.

"Mark me down for pork guys," Kakashi said, leaning over to us, trying to be inconspicuos in his action.

"Sasuke?"

He looked at me from the corner of his eyes before answering. "…Miso."

"Are any of you even listening?!" The Hokage exclaimed loudly. We all jumped back to attention as Kakashi apologized for all of us. Naruto faced the table and opened his mouth wide.

"I don't want to hear it! All the old man ever does is apologize and then give me a lecture! But it's not fair, there's more to me than the trouble-making screwup the old man thinks I am!"

I nodded in agreement. Naruto was going to do great things, I was sure of it. ~But still…calling the Hokage an old man and yelling at him is not very respectful.~

Iruka and the Hokage's faces softened at his exclamation. "Very well," the Hokage said with a smile. "Since you put it that way. I will permit you to attempt a C-Rank mission, usually reserved for Chuunin. The protection of a certain individual.

"Alright!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air and jumped to his feet. "Who is it?! Some Great Lord?! The Daimyo?! A Princess?!

"Compose yourself, I'll perform the introductions straightaway. Please invite him in."

We all looked to the door and awaited the man anxiously. We were finallly getting to do something worthwhile! I couldn't wait to see the person we were suppose to protect. I hoped he was someone important. The journey would be even better!

The first thing that appeared from behind the sliding door was a beer bottle. I narrowed my eyes at it. I hated the stuff. It made people crazy. I knew I wouldn't like this person just from that. A large man with a beard and mustache came out and leaned against the doorway.

"What's going on here?" He took a large drink from his beer can before scanning the four of us over. "They look like a bunch of snot nosed brats. Especially the midget with the idiotic face and that tall girl. She looks two years their senior. She must be a pretty pathetic ninja." He took another swig. "It's a joke right? You kids aren't really ninjas?"

I clenched my fist and glared at him. ~How dare he insult me! And Naruto too! Does he not believe we are capable of escorting his pompous ego back to his country!~

Naruto was laughing and looking back in forth between Sakura, Sasuke, and me. "Who'd you mean? Which midget? Which idiot?" I rubbed the bridge of my nose until Naruto finally figured out that he was the shortest. "I'll kill him!"

He was about to rush forward until I grabbed his arm and Kakashi grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Wrong. No killing the old man you've been assigned to protect."

I let go of him when he started to calm down but I still kept my eyes fixed on him intently. He glared right back at me. "You got something to say too little girl?"

I refused to give into his game and I stood up straight with a grin on my face. "Nothing really," I said innocently. "Only some advice." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Insulting the people who were hired to protect you is a foolish mistake. Who do you think you are?"

He took a step closer to us. "I am Tazuna. A bridge builder of ultimate renown. Until I'm safely back in my own country, where I'll be completing my next bridge, you'll be expected to protect me…even if it costs you your lives!" He glared at me pointedly. "That includes you little girl." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Though, you'll probably be taking the sidelines of any conflicts. You're still at this level and you're older than all of them. You're probably the worst Genin in the village."

He turned around to exit through the room again and it took a lot of willpower to not tackle him to the ground. I had _never _been insulted like that by a paying customer and I was not about to let him get away with it!

I took a step forward but stopped when I felt a hand grip my wrist firmly and another one on my opposite shoulder. Kakashi's gloved hand was holding my shoulder firmly, making sure that I wouldn't break out of his grip. He looked down at me calmly.

"Don't bother Hikari," he said seriously. "He's not worth your time."

I took a breath and calmed down. I couldn't believe that I'd actually come that close to hurting a citizen. I smiled up to Kakashi to tell him I was fine and he released me. The grip on my wrist stayed firm and I looked down to it and found a familiar pale hand gripping it firmly. I met his obsidian eyes and nodded to him that I was fine. He still didn't let go and he turned his attention back to the Hokage and Iruka.

"How long will this mission take?" he asked in apathy.

The Hokage took his pipe from his mouth and scanned us over again. His eyes stopped when he found Sasuke's hand around my wrist. His eyes moved down to his paper as a small grin passed over his face.

"The journey to the Land of the Waves will take a maximum of three days on foot for a party of your size. If all goes well, you could be back in a week's time."

~And I'll be back a week before Itachi's inauguration into ANBU. This works out nicely.~

He nodded and we all bowed our heads to him respectfully before exiting the room then the building, Naruto grumbling the whole way about how he didn't have a idiotic. Sasuke still hadn't let go of my wrist.

Kakashi walked in front of us, his expression overly cheerful. "Okay team!" He said, boredom lining his words yet again. "Meet at the gate at six tomorrow morning. Bring enough supplies to last you a week. But, make sure you don't over pack or you'll be slow on your feet."

We nodded as Kakashi performed a hand sign and vanished. I clapped Naruto on the shoulder once to get his attention.

"Way to go Naruto," I said happily. "You got us a real mission!"

He smiled brightly and pumped his fist in the air. "Yeah I did! I'm awesome!"

"You're too full of yourself Naruto." We looked over to Sakura. "And now we have to escort some alcohol addict to his country. Sounds good to me."

"You don't have to be so rude Sakura." She glared at me sharply before turning away.

"Yeah well, I'm going to go pack for tomorrow. Don't want to make a bad impression." She waved over her shoulder. "You should pack some nice clothes to Hikari. The boys in the Mist Village could be hot."

I blushed and shook my head slightly. This was the millionth time she'd brought this kind of thing up. She said that I _had _to be interested in someone. I was pretty sure that her personal mission was to hook me up with someone.

"Umm…I'd better go say goodbye to Shikamaru and Neji. I'll see you tomorrow Naruto."

"'K! See ya then!" He took off down the road, happiness radiating from him. I couldn't help but smile at his hyper-active nature.

Sasuke began walking towards my house, dragging me along with him in the process. We had arranged it where he would stay at my house when "Icatai" was out on long term missions. That way, he could "watch over me" and make sure I didn't try to pull that not eating or sleeping thing again.

It was a good excuse, but I was pretty sure that he offered for a different reason. I think he finally decided he didn't want to live alone anymore and staying with me was an excuse to have company……But I wasn't going to be the one to tell him that.

"Hey, didn't you hear me?" I tried to pull my hand from his grasp but he held it firmly. "I need-."

"You'll have plenty of time to do that after you finish packing," he interrupted firmly, gripping my wrist a little tighter when I tried to pull free. "Preparing is more important than saying goodbye to those guys."

I finally relented and started walking myself. "Fine. Pack first. Goodbyes second. Happy?"

He smirked. "…Slightly. But I still don't trust you. You'd run off if I didn't hold you back."

I sighed and gave him a slight glare, which he returned, slight amusement making it less cold. I scoffed and looked back forward. "You know me too well."

His smirk only widened and he looked back forward as well. "…I've made an effort. But, I wouldn't consider myself to be anywhere close to finding out something interesting about you, or Hayate for that matter."

I grinned. "Yeah, you've been over how many times these last two weeks? I think Icatai's been home for about an hour of those 14 days. ANBU Black Ops missions must be brutal."

"Hn."

I rolled my eyes at his response before looking down the path. My eyes widened as I saw two familiar Genin in the window of a barbecue restaurant. I smiled widely and started pulling Sasuke towards the door. He sighed when he saw the two people I was looking at.

I stopped outside the door and looked at him.

"I'll be out in five minutes."

He let go of my wrist and stuffed his hands in my pockets before leaning against the restaurant's outside wall. "Four minutes, 52 seconds."

I grinned and pushed the door open. A bell chime went off over the door and I rushed over to the window table quickly, counting down from the time I had left.

"Shika, Chouji," I called with a wave. The two Genin looked over to me, a bright smile on Chouji's face. Shikamaru looked at me with his normally bored expression. I stopped at their table and gave each of them a swift hug. "I came to say goodbye. I-."

"You're leaving the village?!" Chouji exclaimed, looking at me with widened eyes.

"Well, yes but-."

"WHY?!"

"Chouji. Give her a chance to finish." Shikamaru looked up to me, his cheeks tinged a light shade of pink for some reason.

"Thanks." He nodded his head for me to continue and I did. "Naruto managed to get our squad a C-ranked mission and we'll be gone for a week. I didn't want you guys to think that I was avoiding you or something."

Shikamaru smiled and stood up from his seat for a minute. "Thanks for telling us." He surprised me by giving me a swift and protective hug. "Take care and come back in one piece." He sat back down and his expression was of boredom once again. I smiled and hugged him around the neck firmly for a moment.

"I'll miss you guys. Try to live without me for a week."

"W-We'll make an effort." I pulled away from him, finishing my count down from five minutes. I nodded once and walked out of the building, not noticing how flushed Shikamaru's face looked and the knowing smirk Chouji was sending his way.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Neji!"

The boy flinched slightly and threw his kunai half an inch off center. He looked annoyed when he turned to look at me. I ran up to him quickly and stopped a few feet away. I gave him a tired grin, slightly worn-out from running from my house to the training field on the other side of the village.

"Do you need something?" He walked over to the target board and pulled the kunai out of it effortlessly. "Or are you here to sabotage my training session?"

"No. I came by to tell you that I won't be able to train with you this week."

He placed the kunai in his weapon pouch and crossed his arms over his chest. "And why is that? Are you trying to get out of the Ninjutsu practice you promised we'd participate in during our next session?" He smirked. "It's pointless to delay it anymore. It's already been over two weeks since we began and nothing has changed."

I stretched my hand out towards him and he arched an eyebrow at the gesture. "I'm participating in a C-Rank mission that will take seven days to complete, if everything goes well that is…I just came over to say goodbye. We're friends, right?"

He looked like he had to think about an answer for a moment before he nodded. "I consider us to be rivals, but I suppose the term "friends" could be said about us as well."

I took his hand in mine and shook it. He looked slightly uneasy but didn't try to pull away. "And friends let friends know if they're going to be gone for a while. This will be my first C-Ranked mission so I'm excited. Weren't you excited on your first trip out of the country?"

He nodded as we stopped shaking hands. "I also remember that I had to fight a group of rouge ninja without help from anyone else."

I was going to pull my hand away but his grip tightened. He pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me in a warm embrace. My arms were folded up against his chest and I was looking up to him, blinking in confusion towards his actions. His eyes were different than a few seconds ago. They seemed warm instead of icy. He leaned down and I nearly panicked when he closed his eyes. What was he doing?!

I closed my eyes tightly but opened them when I felt him kiss the top of my head in a brotherly fashion before letting me go. I felt myself blush brightly as I met his violet tinged eyes once again. He turned back towards the target, a small smirk lining his lips, loving that he'd made my face flush.

"Shouldn't you be getting back to Uchiha? I've heard that he can be over-protective to anyone close to him."

It took me a moment to realize he was talking. My thoughts were still jumbled from his affectionate gesture towards me. That cold and arrogant boy had just held me securely and looked at me with a warm expression. The shell around his cold heart was cracking each time we spoke. He was a lot like Sasuke and I wanted badly to make him a great friend as well.

"Y-Yeah," I stuttered, turning back towards my house. "I'll see you in a week. Try not to miss me too much Neji."

"Life goes on, even when you're not in the village. I'll survive."

~Typical Neji. Can't stand to lower his ego for even a second.~ I nodded and was about to walk away when an urge over powered me. I turned back and hugged him around the waist from behind, earning a startled in take of breath from him.

"I'll miss you," I said with a grin. I pecked his cheek before running off towards my house, leaving a madly blushing and raging Hyuuga behind me. He didn't like being caught off guard or showing his emotions. I'd made both happen in a moment.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Alright! Road trip!" Naruto jumped up and down anxiously, ready to leave the village.

Kakashi and Tazuna had not shown up yet and the four of us were waiting for them. Our backpacks hung off our shoulders lazily as we sat and stood around the entrance of the village. Sakura sat beside me and Sasuke stood against the wall on her left. Sakura and I watched Naruto prance around happily, ready to get a move on.

Finally, Kakashi and Tazuna walked into the meeting location, a masked figure following them. I kept my eyes on Naruto when Tazuna moodily asked him what he was blabbering about. Sakura began standing but I stayed down, worried about what I would do to that man if he insulted my friends too much.

I tilted my head to Itachi for a second, wondering when he got back from his mission. He was obviously here to feign a good-bye to me and I smiled lightly when his gaze fell on my figure. He looked at me calmly before turning his attention back to Tazuna and Naruto.

Naruto looked around excitedly. "This'll be my first time out of the village! This is gonna be awesome!"

Tazuna shook his head and sighed in annoyance. He turned to Kakashi and asked, "Am I really expected to place my life in the hands of him and that bimbo ninja." I glared at him from my position on the ground as he looked around for me. "Where is the little pest anyway?"

Itachi helped me to my feet and I thanked him. He must have seen the anger in my eyes because he was quick to restrain me lightly, barely brushing his fingers against my arm discreetly, signaling me to not move.

Tazuna's eyes fell on me and he smirked before taking a large gulp from his beer bottle. "Thought you chickened out brat. Guess I was wrong."

I clenched my fist but held back, aware that Itachi would secure me if I tried anything. He leaned down to my ear slightly and moved the mask away from his mouth to speak.

"Don't let him bother you," he whispered lowly. "You have better restraint than what you're showing."

I glanced over to him with a light glare. "Yeah. But I've never had any client treat me like this." I kept my voice barely over a whisper as well, making sure no one heard us. "It's infuriating."

He smirked and clenched my shoulder caringly as he lowered his mask to cover his face again. I looked up to him when he stood straight. "Take care." His voice was made loud enough for the others to hear purposely. "Don't be reckless…" He turned towards Tazuna, an intimidating aura radiating from him. "…Watch what you say to her. That is the only warning you will receive before consequences pass."

I watched Tazuna take a step back from him reflexively and I mentally smirked and cheered for Itachi for standing up for me. He nodded to Kakashi once before vanishing after a quick hand seal.

I looked over to Naruto and saw him swelling in content, glad that Itachi had put that man in his place. We were both in for a rude awakening. Instead of cowering, Tazuna looked like he was filled with satisfaction. He laughed heartily for a second before looking between Naruto and I.

"Now _that _was a real ninja!" He exclaimed brightly. "Why can't we have someone like him on the team instead of these two kids?"

I looked at him like he was crazy, my mouth slightly agape and my eyes wide. This man was too much! What a pompous, conceited, alcohol-obsessed prat!

Kakashi cleared his throat. "There's no need to worry," he said in a bored manner. "I am an elite Jounin and I will be coming along."

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the man. I could tell he was thinking the exact same thing that I was.

~This guy has got to be the worst client in the history of Konoha!~

Sasuke came over to my side and leaned over slightly so he could speak to me while we watched Naruto give a long speech to the drunken man about him not being just a little kid and that one day he would be Hokage.

"Looks like someone's finally getting on your nerves." I heard the smirk in his voice. "Only took a month."

I frowned and narrowed my eyes at Tazuna when he started to walk off, right after telling Naruto that he would never respect him, even if he did become Hokage one day.

"YOU ARE DEAD!"

Kakashi had to hold him back to keep him from attacking Tazuna with an all out barrage.

"I _said _no you idiot." He looked at Tazuna's retreating back with a slight glare of his own, not liking that he was being completely disrespectful.

Naruto was released and he stomped off towards the head of the group, not wanting to face anyone in his current mood.

I looked over my shoulder at Sasuke when I began to walk. "Think anyone would notice if an "accident" occurred tonight?"

He smirked and came up to walk beside me. He kept his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the ground out of habit. "You've got a foot of wire and a dozen weapons in your case to improvise with."

I nodded and smiled evilly towards the drunk man while rubbing my hands together. My face fell dramatically and I let out a sigh. "Too bad Kakashi-sensei made us promise not to kill the client. I could have had some fun."

Sakura must have heard part of our conversation because she came up beside Sasuke with an exasperated look on her face. "Geeze Hikari," she said with a small grin. "I'd never want to get on your bad side."

I smiled to her warmly, letting go of all my frustration so I could be myself again. Getting angry didn't ever get anyone anywhere.

"It's very hard to get on my bad side Sakura. I doubt anyone will ever do anything bad enough to be placed there."

She looked relieved and I couldn't help but look at her funny. Did she think that she was on my bad side? Sure we'd fought, but she never did anything serious. She didn't have the guts to challenge me to a fight and I'm sure she had to rethink challenging me to a contest based on individual knowledge. She knew that I was smart, smarter than any members of the group by a long shot.

16 hours of traveling later…

Kakashi motioned towards a clearing up ahead and told us we were going to be camping there for the night. We all nodded happily, glad to get off our feet. I glowered at Tazuna ahead of me. And happy to get away from our client's constant complaints and insults, most of which were directed at Naruto.

Sakura groaned and dropped her bag before collapsing despairingly on the grass. Naruto repeated the action and Sasuke soon followed suite in a more dignified manner. Tazuna was leaning against a tree lazily. Kakashi was surveying the group without much interest.

I sat beside Sakura, my own bag falling from my shoulders. It was no longer light outside and many animals were heard in the nearby forest. Everyone rested for a few minutes in silence before Kakashi ordered us to prepare camp for the night before we ate a late dinner.

Dinner around the campfire was nearly silent. The only words spoken between each other were "please" and "thank you" for passing around different things and the occasional insult from Tazuna towards Naruto. The poor boy was too exhausted to even fight back.

Naruto and Sasuke had first watch and would wake me and Sakura up in roughly 3 hours before going to sleep.

I gave them each a cup of warm mint tea to help them stay awake before curling up in my small tent peacefully. I had to buy a new tent since I forgot mine back at headquarters. It had enough room for two, fully grown men and it did a very nice job of keeping heat locked in and bugs out.

The Next Day…

I had an eerie feeling all morning and that feeling turned out to be spot on to our current predicament. We had left the small camp at dawn and I felt eyes on our backs for hours. The weirdest part was that I couldn't sense any ninjas until this moment. Were they out of my range earlier? I had no idea but I did no that they were after something in our group…or someone.

Naruto led the way happily, finally learning to ignore Tazuna's bad mood. The rest of us walked in a staggered horizontal line behind him. I was extra cautious, wondering when they would strike.

~By the amount of their chakra levels. They can't be higher than Chuunin Rank. Their best chance would be too ambush the strongest of the squad first to higher the chances of success.~ I glanced over to Kakashi. ~And by the looks of our team, Kakashi is the strongest. In their eyes, going after Kakashi would be their best option.~ I smirked lightly, knowing they were going to be surprised when they saw me in action.

"Um, Mr. Tazuna?" I looked on the other side of Sasuke and listened to Sakura.

"What now?"

"You come from the Land of the Waves, right?" She looked kind of nervous about her questions but she continued anyway.

"What of it?"

"Um…Kakashi-sensei…are there ninja in that country too?"

I turned my attention to the man next to Tazuna and he looked over to us with his normal expression. "No, not in the Land of the Waves. But, as a general rule, even with all the differences that exist in local customs and cultures…most other lands have their own hidden village where a ninja clan resides."

He pulled a scroll from one of the pockets on his Jounin vest and tossed it down to her. She caught it shakily and stared back at him, confusion written on her face.

"That's a map showing all the ninja countries and their capitals. For most of the countries on this continent, the ninja villages serve as the military force."

He continued on about many things that I already knew so I toned him out and decided to think about the month I'd spent in the village. Things were moving smoothly, so smoothly that it was kind of suspicious. Only a handful of ANBU had spied on Itachi and I and that was only for the first three weeks of their stay. Now, the Hokage was having random Jounin scout us out "inconspicuously." I wouldn't have been surprised if Kakashi had a mission to watch over me and report any mishaps.

Kakashi was still speaking about the shinobi countries and their leaders when Sasuke nudged me in the side lightly. I snapped out of my thoughts and turned to him. A smirk lined his lips as he glanced at me before looking back forward.

"You haven't said anything since last night. Something bothering you?"

I grinned at him slightly, worry in my eyes. "I'm fine, it's just…this weird feeling I'm having." I glanced at the trees on either side of the path. "I feel like we're being followed."

I heard him murmur something about me being paranoid and not to worry. "Kakashi just said we weren't going to encounter any enemy ninja on a C-Ranked mission."

I sighed shortly, mentally screaming that we were going to be ambushed any second. But if Sasuke Uchiha, the best rookie Genin in the village couldn't sense the Chunin following, then I shouldn't be able to.

"…Guess you're right," I said reluctantly, my eyes scanning over our group. My eyes stopped when they fell on Tazuna, catching the glimmer of worry in his eyes.

~He's hiding something…maybe he knows that ninja are after him.~ Realization hit after I thought about it for a second. ~It makes sense. The Land of the Waves is a poor country and hiring higher ranked shinobi would cost more and he can't afford it.~ I clenched my fist together in irritation. ~He doesn't care if we die, as long as he gets back to his village safely, nothing else matters. Did he even think about the possibility that he would be sacrificing the lives of children?!~

I glared at the ground in thought. If the Chunin didn't make it through our forces, chances were that a more powerful enemy would be sent out.

~Why would they even be interested in assassinating Tazuna? He's a bridge builder, someone could easily replace him. A group of mercenaries could be behind everything.~

"What happened to that fearless girl back at Konoha?" I kept my eyes fixated on the road, not bothering to answer his arrogant sounding question. "Do you just act tough and chicken out on missions?"

~I'm not scared for myself Sasuke…I'm worried about the skill level of the new enemies they'll send out. You're all screwed if Kakashi can't handle them and then I'll have to reveal myself to save your lives. This is not going to end well if I don't do _something_…~

I felt a hand on my shoulder but I kept my gaze fixated on the road, coming up with several different scenarios in my head. It tightened once in a friendly gesture and I finally looked over to the young avenger. I saw concern etched in his eyes and I grinned to him reassuringly. Sasuke _never _showed concern or compassion when I first came. Now, I saw a glimpse on very rare occasions. This being one of them.

"…You know I'd never let anything bad happen to you, right?" He spoke seriously and I knew that he meant those words. "But…you _do_ need to suck it up or you're just going to be in the way."

I rolled my eyes and threw his hand off my shoulder, earning a small chuckle from him. "Wait to ruin the moment Uchiha," I grumbled lowly. I couldn't help but smile inside though. I'd been waiting for that for forever it seemed and he'd finally shown that he did care for me. "But thanks anyway."

He nodded once before shoving his hands in his pockets and turning back into his quiet self. He'd spoken enough for the time being. He wasn't going to start talking like crazy just because he had accepted a friendship. He wouldn't have been Sasuke Uchiha if he had.

I flinched unnoticeably when I felt the two presences vanish from their positions behind us, to a single spot about twenty yards ahead. I scanned ahead, knowing that I would be able to see that far down the flat path.

There was no one there.

~But I can still feel their presences. They must be using some kind of transformation.~ I kept my eyes peeled for anything strange up ahead. I noticed a puddle at the edge of the street and I frowned. That was exactly were their presence thrived. I was disappointed that they couldn't pick something less obvious. Didn't they realize that it hadn't rained for days?

I purposefully dropped a roll of bandages from my pocket and they rolled out on the path. I feigned an irritated groan before stopping to roll it back up carefully, taking more time than necessary to fix it. Sasuke, Kakashi, and Tazuna looked back when they heard me. I waved them forward.

"Go ahead guys," I said in mock annoyance. "I'll catch up in a minute. Just let me fix this."

Sasuke nodded and looked back forward. I heard Tazuna mumble something about how "incompetent I was at everything," earning him a glare from both Naruto and Sasuke. Kakashi looked uneasy with me staying back by myself but didn't voice his thoughts and kept walking ahead.

~You finally noticed, huh? But you can't show anyone else or you'll give it away and the Chuunin duo will reform. Don't worry though sensei, I'm thinking of something.~

I stared at the puddle a few feet from my bent position through narrowed eyes. They had no chance whatsoever against Kakashi, let alone me. We were perfectly safe...for now.

I finally managed to roll up the bandages and began jogging towards the group warily, still trying to come up with a simple plan of action. Kakashi had dropped back from the group at least a few feet, waiting for me to catch up. I grinned up to him lightly when I got close. The movement of the enemy behind me caught my attention.

Kakashi smiled back and opened his mouth to speak when I cut him off. "Move!"

He looked at me with wide eyes when I forcefully pushed him forwards, taking his place as the enemies' target. A long, sharp, metal rope wrapped around my arms, torso, and legs. I gasped in shock, my eyes widening to add drama and my form shaking slightly. An enemy stood on my left and right sides, both gripping the ends of the painful rope, pulling it tightly.

"Hikari!" he exclaimed loudly, trying to reach out to me.

The rest of the group turned around quickly at Kakashi's frightened cry. I met all their eyes briefly before resting my gaze between Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto's mouth was wide and he looked completely shocked. Sasuke's eyes were clouded over in rage and…fear.

~Shoot! This is really bad! I completely miscalculated on my jutsu! As soon as they pull this string I'll-~

"One down…" one whispered arrogantly, a slight chuckle in his voice. I grimaced and closed my eyes, awaiting the pain of the metal slicing through my skin.

"Get away from her!" I heard footsteps and Sasuke's battle cry as he charged towards me, along with Kakashi. The last thing I heard was Sakura's terrified shriek and the screams of my other squad members before the ropes were pulled completely out, ripping me into pieces.

No log pieces appeared to replace me. The only thing left was a small silver charm bracelet stained in blood…


	23. Chapter 23: The Assassin of the Mist

Chapter 23: The Assassin of the Mist

Sasuke's Pov

~N-No way. Hi...kari. She…She's gone.~

I stood frozen to the spot and stared at the bloody ground that my teammate had just occupied. Kakashi's exclamation of "focus" was the only thing that brought me out of the trance. I clenched my fist angrily and glared sharply at the crimson flow on the earth's surface before turning my rage onto the ninja who _dared _to kill the only person I had a hope of befriending, the only person that could take away my pain.

The ninja stared back, smirks lining their faces and the chain pulled tight between them, her blood tainting the sharp metal. "One down...who's next?"

I didn't need to be told twice. I launched a barrage of kunai at both of the ninja then jumped forward, landing a decisive kick on the one who had spoken. Kakashi had taken the other one while Naruto and Sakura stayed back. I pounded the living daylights out of the ninja, my own rage blinding my thoughts.

Seeing a weak point in my defenses, the ninja stabbed forward with a kunai to my side. I barely avoided a stab wound when I twisted, but a long cut still connected with the skin. I hissed at the sudden pain, but otherwise felt a lot more aware of my surroundings. That small wound had brought me out of my rage for a mere moment and I saw the problem immediately. I was not the ninja's main target. Naruto was.

~Move idiot!~

Naruto just stood rooted to the ground, fear evident in his expression. I sprinted over but was too late to stop the ninja's claws from scraping his hand. I kicked him away from Naruto and towards Kakashi, knowing that he would have already defeated the other. Kakashi grabbed both ninja around the neck and proceeded to tie them to the trunk of a large tree, knocking them both unconscious in the process.

I landed in front of Naruto without a word, too angry to even think up an insult about his pathetic excuse of being a ninja. I clenched my teeth and kept my glare fixated on the ground. I felt sick and my heart constricted painfully against my chest. I heard Kakashi walk away from the enemy and towards Naruto.

"I'm sorry that I didn't save you immediately Naruto," his voice was forlorn and disheartened, much like how everyone felt at the moment. "I got you injured. I didn't expect you to freeze up like that. Don't move around too much. Those claws had poison in them. It will spread through your whole body if you're not careful."

I straightened up and put on an indifferent look. I couldn't look depressed, that would show weakness. But anger, was an entirely different emotion. I turned the most deadly glare I had ever unleashed to Kakashi. His back was facing me, but I could tell he felt my eyes boring into him.

I wanted him to die.

I'd only felt like this once, but now…I could do something about it. The man was standing right there. The man that took my only chance of happiness away. I clenched my fist tightly, my nails nearly pricking the skin of my palm as he turned towards the client, a look similar to mine on his face.

"Mr. Tazuna…I need to talk to you." Kakashi's voice was low and full of venom. He wanted the truth. He _needed _to know what lie cost him the life of someone precious to him. He'd sworn that he would never let it happen again, and now his promise was broken. "These look like Mist Shinobi. They're known to keep fighting, no matter the circumstances."

I turned my glare to the man that was rapidly explaining the situation to Kakashi, rapidly explaining how this mission was actually an _A _ranked mission and the only reason he didn't tell the Hokage was to save money.

I had lost someone I actually cared about to _money. _

I bent down and picked up the only thing left of her, a crimson stained charm bracelet. She was always wearing it, saying it was the only reminder she had of her family. I clenched it in my hand firmly, not willing to ever let it go.

"You moron…" All four of them looked at me, surprise evident in their expressions. I stood and glared hatefully at the man standing in front of me, our so called client. "YOU FREAKING MORON!"

I lunged for him, kunai out, the lust for killing in my eyes. Sakura screamed and Naruto could only watch, eyes widened in horror. Kakashi was the only one able to move fast enough. He secured me around the waist and chest, pinning my arms at my sides. I struggled with all the force I could manage, trying to slit the throat of the trembling man in front of me. Tazuna took a step back, fear on his face. Kakashi barely restrained me in my rampage.

"You cold hearted man! You ask for our help and completely betray our trust and for what?! You lacked funds?! Who freakin' cares about money?! It's your fault that my comrade is gone! Your fault that she's dead! **YOU**_**KILLED **_**HER**_!" _

"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed. It sounded like she was about to cry but I couldn't care less.

Nothing mattered. I didn't care about anything or anyone anymore. All I wanted was to see that man's limp form. What I _needed _was to avenge Hikari.

Kakashi's grip tightened around me and it took all his strength to keep me from slaughtering Tazuna. He twisted my wrist and I let go of the kunai out of reflex. It hit the dirt, but that didn't stop me from struggling.

"Calm down Sasuke." Kakashi's voice echoed in my mind, almost like he was calling me from a distance. I was blinded by rage and nothing would snap me out of it until I achieved my objective. "You need to relax. Stop this now."

"Not until I see this murderer's corpse!" I broke out of Kakashi's grip and quickly formed the hand signs for the Grand Fireball Jutsu, knowing he would burn alive. A slow and painful death. It suited him.

Before I could release my jutsu, a sharp stab hit me in the back of the neck. I felt my eyes roll back in my head and my arms dropped to my sides as I fell to the ground. I never felt the dirt hit my face, I never heard Sakura and Naruto's screams of fear, I never saw Kakashi's depressed face……The copper smell of her blood was the only thing I would remember when I regained consciousness.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Naruto's Pov

Sasuke hit the ground, knocked out cold. Sakura and I had yelled out at Kakashi's brutal jab at his neck, afraid that he might have hurt him badly.

"Don't worry." Kakashi's voice was hoarse, sadness lingering in his words. "He'll be fine." He looked over to me for a brief moment. "But this mission is over. We need to take Naruto back to Konoha for treatment."

I watched him bend down and hoist Sasuke over his shoulder, the bracelet he had taken from the bloody ground not leaving his fingers. He had a death grip on it.

I couldn't hold back the tears in my eyes any longer. I sat on a boulder near the edge of the forest and just let it all out. All the pain, sadness, confusion…

~Why her?! What did she ever do to deserve that?! Why does Kami hate me so much?! He ripped away someone who treated me like a person instead of a monster!~

"Why?" I cried into my hands as I pulled out a kunai.

"Naruto! What are you doing?!" Sakura was coming over to stop me but she wasn't quick enough.

I plunged the kunai into my hand, digging through the flesh to flush the poison from my system. Tazuna and Kakashi watched me with wide eyes, neither of them coming any closer.

"Why is their such a difference between me and those two?! Why am I always the one that's different?! Why aren't I strong enough to protect those who are important to me?!" I turned to look at the others sharply, making my serious express show. "There's always been a huge gap between me and Sasuke and I was close to giving up. I was close to giving up on my dream. But…Hikari coming into the picture, changed everything."

My face sulked lightly and I felt hot tears in my eyes. I shook them away and jabbed the kunai further in my hand, hissing slightly at the pain but I pushed it aside and focused on getting the poison out.

"She…She showed me that I could be great. That I could fulfill my dream and become Hokage. Hikari was one of the only people who believed in me. I won't let her sacrifice be a waste."

I looked up to all of them in determination, lifting my now cleansed hand up beside me.

"I swear by the pain in my left hand, I won't run away anymore, I won't need saving again. I'll honor Hikari with this promise." I smirked and flashed my kunai at them. "I'll protect the old man with my life. No turning back. We're continuing this mission! For her!"

Sakura looked at me with the same determination in her red rimmed eyes. She rubbed them to clear the tears. She let out a shaky sigh, tears coming to her eyes again, no matter how hard she tried to hold them back.

"You're right Naruto." I blinked once in surprise. Sakura was acknowledging me for something, something she thought I did right. She removed her hands from her face, a small smile coming to it. "We can't just quit. Hikari would have died for nothing. We can't give up." She looked up to Kakashi with the same determined eyes that she'd shown me. "Kakashi-sensei, I want to continue as well."

Kakashi looked down to both of us, sadness and guilt in his eyes. I knew that he blamed himself for the death of his student and that he was worried about what would happen if we continued. After a few moments, he looked up to Sakura, Tazuna, and I, seriousness lining his face. He adjusted Sasuke to a better position on his shoulder before nodding.

"Fine. If you both are that determined to continue, then I won't be able to stop you. And." He gestured to Sasuke. "I'm sure he will agree with you. We won't let our comrade's death halt our mission, but we'll use it as leverage towards our goal. The mission will resume shortly. Sakura."

She nodded up to him, a fierce look on her face unlike any I had seen before. She was firm in her decision to get revenge on the people who had taken away her teammate and the look of pure will lined her face.

"Clean and bandage Naruto's hand before he passes out from blood loss." Sakura nodded and walked over to me. She took my hand and began cleaning out the wound gently, not looking at me but concentrating on her work. "Mr. Tazuna."

Both of us looked back to Kakashi when we heard him address the client who had been silently listening to our intense exchange. He gulped and nodded once in confirmation. Kakashi began to walk over to us leisurely, a hand shoved in his pocket.

"I saved you from Sasuke's wrath once. I won't do it a second time."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hikari's Pov ^_^

~Uggh. My head.~ I rubbed it gently and shook it to clear away the fogginess. ~What happened?~ I thought about my short encounter with the two Mist Chuunin. ~Right. I pushed Kakashi out of the way while forming single handed signs, only to get the timing of the last one wrong in my rush. What a stupid mistake! I'd never hear the end of it from Madara.~

I slowly pried my eyes half way open and looked around without turning my head. I was in a clearing, trees surrounding it from all sides. I was still in the forest. This was a stroke of luck.

~At least I messed up the last one and not the others or I wouldn't be here...where am I exactly?~

I sat up and pushed myself to my feet, wobbling slightly at the fast movement. I held my head and felt sick. I didn't move for a second and let the feeling subside. "Serves me right for messing up..." I grumbled lowly. "Now, the sun is positioned over there and the Wave Village is Northeast from here...so I need to head this way."

"My My My, you're a little far from home Hikari."

My body stiffened at the rough male voice. This man knew my name and his voice struck a cord inside me. This wasn't some stranger. I knew him... but I wish I didn't.

"Momochi Zabuza," my voice flowed through my lips before I could help myself. He was only standing a few feet behind me, close enough that I could feel his figure towering over mine. "The Demon of the Mist."

He chuckled and set his huge hand on my shoulder, squeezing it firmly. I held back a shudder at the cold touch and stared ahead apathetically. "And you're alone. Where is that bloody assassin anyway? You were partners a few years ago."

I narrowed my eyes at the trees ahead, thinking of a way to get out of this situation without causing a massive scene. "I'm...on a new mission, a lengthy mission away from him."

Amusement was evident in his words when he spoke. "Right." He stepped closer to me but I held firm. "And I'm supposed to believe that he let you go alone?" He chuckled darkly. "If your organization let you off, then you must be on a simple mission, one for a nice sum. Tell me, were you hired to assassinate the bridge builder as well?"

My eyes widened partially at his question, realization hitting me. ~The mist ninja that attacked us were under Zabuza's command! He's the one attacking us!~

"You were hired to assassinate the bridge builder? By who?"

"That slimy millionaire Gato. Who else has enough currency to pay for my services?" He turned me around easily and removed his hand from my shoulder, only to grab my chin with his calloused hand. He moved it around as if to examine me and I kept my face impassive, not wanting to risk getting on his bad side at the moment. "You've matured since I saw you last. Won't Haku be pleased."

I narrowed my eyes and took his hand from my face. He stared back at me with the same dark and devious eyes that I remembered. I let it drop at his side and he smirked behind the cloth covering his mouth. He knew how strongly I felt for Haku before and he correctly guessed that I still harbored the same length of friendship even now.

"Your mission isn't going to be easy. He's being guarded by the Copy-Ninja."

He laughed and made his way passed me, most likely in the direction of my squad. I watched him begin to walk off. "And a bunch of rookies who think they're ninja. Getting Hatake out of the way will insure my success. I won't even need Haku to slay the three brats. Two of my minions reported that they easily killed one member of the party without breaking a sweat."

I arched an eyebrow at his retreating back, a small smirk coming to my lips. "Did they also tell you that their target was me?"

Zabuza halted in his steps, not turning around but letting the information sink in. I saw his hand clench into a fist at his side for a moment before he let it relax, letting a snort of amusement escape. He lazily reached up to his sword and pulled it from it's position on his back. The sharp blade hit the ground hard, making the area around it vibrate from impact. He held it in his fingers firmly as he turned back towards me, his eyes narrowed in an accusation.

"You're telling me that my ninja failed in locating the proper target?" His eyes were angry and he looked like he was planning out their deaths in his head. "They mistook you for one of that man's bodyguards? I highly doubt their skills are that pathetic."

I withdrew a kunai from my case and stood poised and ready, just in case. "No. They didn't make a mistake. The truth is, I am also his escort. You'll have to get through me."

The man before me hesitated for a moment, thinking over this situation. After a minute, he looked back up to me, his eyes bright as he realized what my statement entailed.

"You're working with Konoha? Ha! More like against them!" He clutched his sword firmly and brought it up to chest level, a smug look coming to his face. "Itachi assigned you an espionage mission and you're disguising yourself as a _Genin_. Must be rough. But…" He swung his sword to his side and held it there steadily. "That entails that you can only use Genin ranked jutsu. This will be too easy."

I watched his movements, wondering what he was getting at exactly. ~I can use any rank jutsu now. No one's around to see or sense anything. The only way I'd be cornered would be if-.~

Realization hit me as soon as he made a move to turn around and I heard his deep laugh. "Seems like you've got it. You can follow me and meet me in combat as a Genin or…you can protect yourself and wait here while I slay your squadron."

I glared at him sharply before launching myself towards him, Sharingan blazing furiously. He was not leaving the clearing. He was not going to attack Team 7. And he was definitely not taking the lives of my comrades.

His sword blocked my kunai easily and he parried a strike to my stomach. I twisted out to dodge and launched a punch to his chest. My gloved knuckles hit the palm of his free hand and he held it tightly. I kneed up to hit his gut but he warded the blow off with his own knee. I pulled back the kunai from the sword and aimed it at his poorly guarded leg, only to be forcefully pushed away from him before I could hit.

"Looks like you're a little rusty girl." Zabuza continued jumping back, dodging most of my punches and kicks but with extreme difficulty. He was already starting to pant at the quick movements but didn't let it show much. "When's the last time you fought a worthy opponent?"

"Two months."

I twirled and kicked him in the side, sending him through a tree and colliding with another one. He pushed himself up and slashed his blade vertically. I turned sideways and the blade sliced through the branch I was standing on mere inches from me. I leapt off the branch and threw my kunai at him. He moved his head and the kunai planted itself in the tree behind him as I landed on the branch above him upside down. I crossed my arms and smirked slightly as I looked at him.

"And it doesn't look like I'll be fighting one anytime soon."

He growled in his throat and swung his sword through me, making my water clone spray everywhere. I struck the clone of Zabuza in the back before pushing myself off the branch, avoiding his sword's uppercut from below.

"Hn. Still got that mouth on you, eh?" Zabuza kicked roughly to the left and I ducked just in time. His heel swiped over my head before he jumped and kicked his other leg forward. I caught it but was shoved back against the bark roughly.

He cut sharply, running my clone through the middle. I reappeared on another tree gracefully, my eyes glaring at him. He followed up with complex sword combination, stabbing, cutting, and slashing in dozens of directions. I moved quickly and dodged them all thanks to my blood-limit.

The same pattern of attacks ensued between the two of us for a rough half hour, both of us acquiring a few scratches and bruises, most of which I forced on him. We were miles away from our starting points and were both panting heavily from the battle. He glared at me hatefully. I knew that he understood that he stood no chance against me in the long run. If we continued, this would be his last battle.

Before we could continue, however, the sound of a girl shrieking rang through the forest. "Sasuke! You're awake!"

My eyes glanced in the direction of the scream and I frowned. ~Sakura...They're nearby.~ I looked back to Zabuza and saw him smirking broadly, eyeing the direction of the noise. I knew immediately what he was thinking when he looked back to me slyly.

"Oh no you don't!" I jumped at him, swinging my kunai forcefully. I growled lowly in frustration when my kunai pierced his chest. My Sharingan saw it as a water clone before I even hit and was proven correct when Zabuza evaporated into liquid. "This isn't good..." I took off in the direction I felt his presence flee. In the direction of my squad.

I arrived at a clearing near a lake a few minutes later, running full speed to get there. Nearly ten miles. Sakura's shriek was beyond human to reach that far clearly. I ignored the trivial thought that came to my head and instead watched them. Kakashi and Sakura stood next to Sasuke with concerned expressions. Sasuke's head was down so I couldn't see what was wrong with him.

~He just woke up? Did the enemy Chuunin put up that much of a fight?~ I tilted my head and looked to him in concern. ~I hope he's alright...~

Naruto walked over to him, two backpacks on his back. I acknowledged the other one as mine and smiled, glad that he'd brought it with him. Tazuna looked like he was hiding behind Kakashi for some reason. I soon found out why after a few seconds.

Sasuke looked to him angrily, his fists clenched at his sides. My eyes widened slightly when I saw what he was holding in his right hand. My bracelet. I looked down to my bare wrist and frowned, just now realizing the piece of metal was gone.

"Hold on Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, grabbing the fist Sasuke was raising. It looked like he was about to punch Tazuna. What really surprised me was that Kakashi had made no move to stop him.

"Let go of me dobe!" Sasuke snarled.

"Just listen for a minute!" Sasuke didn't try to struggle out of Naruto's grip, but his glare on Tazuna never faltered. Seeing that Sasuke wasn't pulling away, Naruto continued. "We have to protect the client, remember? It's our mission-."

"What are you talking about you idiot?!" Sasuke clenched his teeth and turned his glare on Naruto. "Didn't you hear anything I said?! It's his fault that our teammate's dead!"

My eyes widened slightly in realization. ~So that's why he's so upset.~

"We all know that Sasuke!" Naruto yelled back, equally frustrated. "But we have to succeed in this mission! It's the only way to honor Hikari's death!" Sasuke looked like he was about to retort when Sakura intervened.

"He's right Sasuke." He looked over to her with a death glare and the pink haired girl fought with all she had to stand up to it. "If we don't complete the mission, she would have died for nothing. We can't let that happen."

I felt warm inside at Sakura's statement and I smiled down to her kindly. ~Maybe she does care after all...~

Sakura's comment wasn't enough to completely stop the Uchiha's rampant. He broke from Naruto's grasp but didn't move towards Tazuna, but he did glare at him harshly. Kakashi finally moved forward to speak. He placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder in genuine comfort.

"Sasuke...I know how close you and Hikari had become and I understand your pain." I saw that his expression was downcast as he spoke. My "death" clearly affected him as well and I felt a stab of pain in my heart when he spoke. "She was a great friend and an even better person, but now is not the time for mourning. We have a mission to complete. That mission being the one Hikari sacrificed herself to accomplish. Completing this mission would prove that her sacrifice was not in vain. Wouldn't that be more rewarding than destroying what she died for?"

"Honoring her death is the least we could do for her, Sasuke," Naruto said sadly, his head lowering in his depression. I looked back to Sasuke and waited for his reaction.

He looked to the group silently, glaring at each of them individually before shrugging off Kakashi's hand. He turned in the direction of their destination and let out a shaky sigh, likely trying to decide on his next action. I watched him bring my bracelet up to his tightly closed eyes. His fist was shaking at his side and the one near his face was in the same condition.

I blinked once in shock when I saw something I'd never thought possible.

A lone tear ran down his cheek swiftly, falling to the grassy field without a sound.

He quickly wiped it away and looked like he was coming to terms with his inner turmoil. After a few seconds, the rage on his face turned abruptly back to his cold, sharp features. He opened his eyes and they resumed their routine narrowed look but the anger in them still dominated.

"Let's get this over with." His voice was sharp and it sent chills down my spine at the sound.

Sakura took a step towards him. "Sasuke-."

"The faster we get this done. The faster we can leave. Now, let's go!"

He was holding back his anger with all he had, his body was shaking from all that had built up. The only thing standing between him and killing Tazuna were the words that Kakashi and Naruto had spoken. I knew it.

What I didn't know was how I was going to make my entrance. With all the tense emotions in the air, entering now could be disastrous. I took in a deep breath and prepared for the worst.

~I should wait, but I can't stand all the looks of depression on their faces.~ I smiled sadly. ~I'm...happy that they care so much for me. I don't deserve their tears... or their love. I'm not supposed to care about them but...I'm failing that part of the mission.~ I fixed my gaze on Sasuke. ~I'm failing with you the most...~

Someone landed on the branch behind me and moved forward quickly. I launched a shuriken behind me and was turning around when two muscled arms were wrapped around me in a suffocating hold. I gasped for breath as I was pulled to their chest. A dark laugh vibrated through it and I struggled to move out of the man's arms.

"Getting sidetracked can cost a ninja his life." Zabuza restrained me with one arm before grabbing his sword from his back. I narrowed my eyes at the blade, thinking up all the possible solutions for getting out of this situation. "But a hostage situation, is just as deadly."

My eyes widened slightly as I realized his plan. He held me tighter and I cringed at his fierce grip. ~He knows about my mission. He's going to bring me out in the open so I can't use any high level jutsu! Kakashi's going to be the only one able to fight!~

"Let me go." I couldn't bring my hands together to form hand seals so I resorted to trying to force myself from his grip. He only tightened his arm and I gritted my teeth together. "Fight me now at my full power instead of ambushing a bunch of Genin, you coward."

"Coward?" He rose to his feet, bringing me up so my toes barely brushed the branch below. I glared ahead angrily, trying to get into a suitable position to kick him off me. He saw right through my action and laughed darkly. "I don't think so. I'd be a _fool_ to take you on. I know what you're capable of brat." He held his blade against my throat, daring me to try anything. "I'm sure the Copy Ninja will be easier to deal with."

He flung his sword at the group, the sharp blade slicing through the air lethally. My eyes widened when they didn't do anything. I shouted the name of the only person who could do anything for them.

"Kakashi!" He whirled around milliseconds before the others and saw the blade that was flying towards them. His eyes widened and he grabbed Tazuna's wrist before jumping to the ground, dragging the man with him.

"Everyone, take cover!" The squad obeyed and fell to the ground just as quickly. The blade zoomed over their heads and I let out a sigh of relief. The sword embedded itself into a thick tree on the other side of the clearing. Zabuza made a hand seal and we transported from that position in the trees and appeared on the hilt his weapon.

Our backs were to them but I heard each person pick themselves up off the ground. Zabuza held me around my stomach and chest firmly, my toes barely touching the weapon's hilt below.

"Well, Well...If it isn't Zabuza Momochi, the kid who ran off and left the Land of the Mist!" Kakashi's voice was hard as he glared at the Missing-Nin holding me. I turned my gaze, as best as I could, on the shinobi behind us, feeling their glares on Zabuza. I heard all of them gasp in shock when they saw me, each of their faces portraying that emotion.

"Hikari!" Naruto exclaimed, pulling a kunai from his weapon's case. His glare turned to the man holding me and he snarled. "Let her go!" He began to charge at Zabuza but Kakashi held his hand in front of my teammate.

"Don't interfere Naruto." He looked at Zabuza seriously, hate in his eyes. "This one's on a whole different level compared to our previous opponents, especially with a hostage."

Zabuza turned around, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. "Well, well, Kakashi of the Sharingan, I presume?" I scanned over my squad briefly, taking in their terrified expressions. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble…could you surrender the geezer?"

My eyes landed on Sasuke and I gave him a helpless look. His expression was of utter shock and disbelief, both for me and for the words that Zabuza had just spoken. I cringed and let out a shaky gasp when Zabuza tightened his grip into a bruising one.

"Hikari!" Sakura exclaimed, tears leaking from her eyes at the scene. The look on her face was heartfelt and I tried to give her a reassuring grin. It only came out as a grimace because Zabuza once again tightened his hold. I clenched my fists and teeth together and closed my eyes.

"Actually, I'm feeling generous today." Zabuza looked down to Kakashi with a smirk. "How about a trade?" He removed his arms from my torso and instead grabbed the collar of my shirt, hanging me out over the twenty-foot drop. "I'll give you back this brat, you give me the old man, and then you can head back to Konoha. Everyone's pleased."

I clutched his hand with both of mine to hold myself up. My gaze traveled down to the ground and I grimaced, thinking about how painful it would be to fall from that distance. Naruto stood in my side vision and he was looking to Kakashi pleadingly, possibly telling him to accept the trade. I growled in the back of my throat and turned my head towards Kakashi. It would be a nasty fall, but it was worth saying the right thing.

"Do not accept sensei! Don't listen to him!" Kakashi looked at me seriously, listening to my request. "Don't worry about me. I'll be okay, just finish the mission. The mission is more important to Konoha than I am. It should come fir-."

A fist slammed into my gut harshly and I cried out in pain when the wind was knocked out of me. I heard each Genin yell out to me over the coughs and gasps that were racking my body. My hands shook and I barely held myself up. I felt blood trickle down my cheek but didn't open my eyes to check. I had not been hit that hard in months and even then, it wasn't a direct hit. Zabuza moved his hand to grip my neck instead and held me around my throat. I gagged and kicked my feet and clawed at his hand to get free. I couldn't breathe anymore and my body was going into panic.

"Shut up, girl!" I opened my eyes and saw his own glaring at me sharply. "You're speaking out of turn."

~Not good. I'm losing too much oxygen. I won't last another minute at this rate.~

"Let go of her." Sasuke held five shuriken and a kunai in his hands threateningly. He glowered at Zabuza and stepped towards us. Zabuza smirked and turned towards him.

"Or you'll do what? Throw those toys at me?" He laughed and started to turn back to Kakashi but stopped. A shuriken whizzed passed his head only millimeters from his current position and embedded itself into the tree.

I turned to Sasuke and saw him nearly shaking with anger. His black eyes were burning. Another shuriken was positioned between his fingers. "I said let go of her!" He launched the rest of the shuriken and the kunai at us and I gasped.

Before they hit Zabuza, he moved me in front to use as a shield. I heard Sasuke curse and someone else pull out more weapons. The pain never came because the ninja tools were negated with another barrage.

"Sasuke! Listen to me!" Kakashi's voice was commanding and I could only imagine the face he was giving his squad. "You can't let your frustration control you. This is not just some game that you can win by force!"

"Then what do you expect me to do Kakashi!" His voice had reached a new level of anger and I could barely make out him pointing up at me through the white dots in my vision. "Watch her suffocate! Do something!"

I choked out another strangled breath and Zabuza finally released my neck, only to grab me around the shoulders. I took in large gulps of air and rested my head against his chest unwillingly. I was too focused on getting oxygen back in my lungs to care about the man holding me captive. And I swore, once we were alone, he was going to get one hell of a beating for strangling me.

I turned my head and looked at Kakashi. The white dots were clearing and I could make out his expression. He looked torn. He knew the right thing to do would be to save us both. But that option, at the moment, looked impossible. He had been looking back and forth between Tazuna and myself but paused for a moment in thought.

"Kakashi, you'd better decide soon." I felt a pressure on my head and realized that Zabuza was stroking my hair. I would have pulled away but I didn't want to get punched again. He chuckled. "Looks like she's in pain. Probably a few fractured ribs and damaged organs, but nothing completely serious." His grip tightened around my shoulders and I sharply inhaled a breath. "But it'll be worse if you don't hurry."

Sasuke's hands were clenched dangerously at his sides and his glare was almost demonic. The black irises watched Zabuza's fingers run through my hair and I could see the rage building. He was having a hard time holding himself back from launching at the man.

Kakashi surprised me by taking out a kunai and getting into his battle stance. "Here's another option. Kill me and you can have them both."

"WHAT?!" Naruto looked at Kakashi furiously. "You can't do that?!"

"It's too dangerous, sensei! All three of you could be killed!" The girl's exclamation didn't faze him. Instead, he finally lifted his headband away from his eye. I wasn't surprised when a crimson iris stared back, but everyone else looked startled.

"Kakashi-sensei…what's wrong with your-?" Sakura's question was cut off when Sasuke gave a swift explanation of what the Sharingan was. His explanation was only a few short sentences, but it gave both her and Naruto a better understanding.

"Shall we, then?" Kakashi glared at Zabuza challengingly and I felt Zabuza's laugh.

"Ahh, to face the legendary Sharingan so early in our acquaintance. This **is **an honor. Fine. I accept."

He caressed my face one last time before moving me back so he could tilt my face up to his. I narrowed my eyes at the man, making sure he knew that I would be taking my revenge. He smirked behind the bandages before lifting me up.

"But this extra weight will slow me down." He moved his attention to my left, most likely to one of the members of my squad. "Hold her for me kid."

His grip around me tightened before he threw me roughly away from him. My eyes widened when I saw the ground rushing towards me and I could hear the screams of my teammates. I managed to turn slightly, getting into position for a rolling landing, the only landing that wouldn't harm me if I performed it right.

Before I could get close enough, a pair of strong arms caught me around the waist. They shifted me slightly so I laid on my back and I stared up into the face of my best friend. His onyx eyes stared back in fierce rage and concern. We landed smoothly and Sasuke kneeled down so he could lay my lower body on the ground. His arm and leg still supported my torso as the cloth wrapped around his arm wiped the blood from my chin. He didn't say anything, but he didn't need to. His concern was perfectly shown in his face.

We were instantly surrounded by Sakura, Naruto, and Tazuna but Sasuke immediately sent them a warning glare to keep them back. Kakashi remained in his battle stance a few yards away and he kept his eyes trained on Zabuza.

"Hikari! Hikari! Are you okay!" Naruto ignored Sasuke's glare and went to touch me but was roughly stopped when Sakura pulled his arm.

"Don't touch her you idiot! She's hurt!" Sakura looked at me in concern and kneeled down beside me. Sasuke's grip around me tightened and his glare hardened when she reached out for me. She flinched back and put her hand in her lap.

I frowned and looked up to Sasuke. "She's not going to hurt me, Sasuke. It's fine. _I'm_ fine." My frown turned into a grin and I gazed around at all my teammates. "Though, I am honored that you all care so much. But you shouldn't worry. It was only one hit."

Sakura prodded my ribs gently and frowned when I grimaced. "Yeah! One hit and you managed to fracture nearly every one of your ribs! I'm surprised you're not coughing up blood!"

"She'll be okay though, right Sakura?" Naruto's eyes were big and wet in concern and I smiled.

"Yes, Naruto. I'll live another day. I've had far worse injuries than this." I gave his hand a tight squeeze and flashed him a reassuring smile. My face turned serious in less than a moment when I caught sight of the malicious eyes of the Demon of the Mist. "But enough about me. We're in a serious situation and I should be the least of your concern."

I sat up cautiously, trying to keep from wincing at the pain in my ribs. Sasuke helped me with my task, catching my slight wince when I stretched a little too far. He grimaced and turned his attention to the two Jounin. My eyes also traveled to them as well as the rest of my teammates.

"Back when I was an assassin for Kirigakure, I had my own usual Bingo Book of who's our enemies. I remember reading about you, Hatake." Zabuza knelt down on his sword in a battle ready pose. "There was quite a write-up on you. Including a mention of your impressive record. The man who had penetrated and copied over a thousand different techniques. Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja."

Sakura and Naruto looked astonished. "But he's just Kakashi-sensei, he's not-."

I grinned and looked at him proudly, glad that he was on my side, glad that he was fighting for me, even if I didn't need it. I trusted him to come out victorious. He could defeat Zabuza and then we'd continue without a hitch. No one would get hurt with him here. I wouldn't even be needed.

Sasuke stared at him skeptically. I looked up to him and saw the tinge of jealousy in his eyes at the sight of Kakashi's single crimson iris. He stood up and I held onto his arm to pull myself up as well. I immediately went to healing my ribs as soon as I was in a suitable position.

Sasuke held me around the waist just in case and I nodded in thanks. Zabuza stared down at the five of us in amusement and I could only guess the thoughts running through his head. I placed my hand on my stomach and began the healing process, not taking my eyes from the Missing Nin.

"Not that this conversation hasn't been pleasant, but the time for talk is over." He grabbed the hilt of his sword and stared straight at Tazuna. "I'm on a very tight schedule to polish off the old man-." His gaze traveled to me and I saw the evil glint on his face. "-and one very unfortunate brat."

Sasuke pushed me behind him and took his battle stance. Naruto and Sakura did the same thing and left Tazuna and me in the middle. I looked at them all in surprise before taking a step forward to get in my position, only to be held back by Naruto.

"Stay back, Hikari. You're hurt." His voice was unwavering and he gently pushed me back. He gave me a confident smirk and took out two kunai knives while our other teammates took out one. "Here." He handed me one of them before getting ready. "You can protect the old man from the inside if it'll make you feel better."

I took it but didn't take my eyes from Naruto. I wasn't about to play the damsel in distress. That's not how I worked. "I can still fight Naruto. Injured or not, I'm perfectly fi-."

"No, you're not." I turned my eyes to Sasuke. He wasn't looking at me but kept his two glaring orbs on our enemy.

"Sasuke-."

"Hikari, just stay back, alright?" He looked over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. "You're hurt. Keep out of this." He turned back to the two high level ninja. "We can handle this without you."

I smiled slightly and nodded. ~I guess that's just Sasuke's way of saying he's worried. It'll take me a good fifteen minutes to heal anyway so I guess I can rely on them for now…I just hope that everything goes smoothly.

Zabuza chuckled. "But, Kakashi…It looks like I'll have to kill you first."

He yanked his blade from the tree and in less than a second, he stood on the lake in front of us. One hand was held in front of his face and the other pointed straight up. Both formed two different hand seals. Chakra swirled around him and I grimaced.

~This isn't good. That chakra build, that stance.~

A heavy mist began to unfold around all of us, slowly making Zabuza disappear. "The finest of the ninja arts…the Kirigakure Jutsu."

He disappeared completely and I took my own stance, keeping my healing hand on my abdomen. I took in a breath, noticing that it was getting easier. I gazed around seriously, waiting for the Mist Ninja's most renown technique. I just hoped that everyone else was ready for it.


	24. Chapter 24: Assassin of the Mist Prt 2

Chapter 24: The Assassin of the Mist Prt. 2

Hikari's Pov

"He's gone!" Naruto looked around frantically, kunai out and ready.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes in concentration as he gazed around. I gripped the knife tightly. I already knew this jutsu from past experience.

_Though this is the first time it's ever been used against me_. Even in this dire situation, I couldn't help but think back to the times I spent with him and Haku. I grimaced and glared forward, ashamed that I was remembering "good" things about the ones who wanted my companions dead.

Kakashi broke my train of thought when he pulled out a kunai as well. "He will come after me first. Zabuza Momochi of the Kirigakure Assassin Corps is a famous master of the art of silent killing. Letting your guard down buys you a direct trip to heaven. I haven't mastered every aspect of the Sharingan, so all of you, stay on your toes. Protect the client at all costs." He gestured his head back towards me. "Watch each other's back, especially Hikari's until she finishes healing."

The four of us gulped in anxiety and nodded. The triangle form around Tazuna and I tightened to help void holes. Our eyes narrowed intently as we tried to see through all the fog that had built up… I desperately wished I could use my blood-limit. The fog wouldn't be a problem if I could see exactly where his chakra signature was rooted.

A dark laugh echoed through the area and I felt shivers run up my spine. Without the Sharingan, I had no idea where he would strike or when. I was just as vulnerable at the moment as my teammates. Not a reassuring feeling in the slightest.

"There are eight targets," Zabuza's dark voice laughed. I smirked. This jutsu really was well developed. I couldn't even use my normal senses to find where he was hiding. His voice came from all directions. I was impressed.

Sakura was growing terrified and she looked around with a grim face. "What was that?!"

"Throat, spinal column, lungs, liver, the jugular vein." He paused for a moment, adding a dramatic effect. "The subclavian artery, kidney, heart. So many choices. What vital, _vulnerable_ place shall I choose?" His dark laugh moved through again and I cringed. I hated feeling vulnerable.

My four group members were shaking, fear creeping into them at the assassin's words. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This would be my first major battle as a Genin so being nervous didn't surprise me.

_I just hope Kakashi can handle everything or both our missions are screwed._

Said Jounin narrowed his eyes further and formed a hand seal, activating his Sharingan at its full level.

I think that's when the seriousness of the situation truly revealed itself. The sight of an elite Jounin having to use their full ability and the strong feeling of death in the air stirred even _my_ soul. I was excited, anxious yes, but thoroughly ready for combat even more so.

My other teammates weren't fairing so well, an extremely nervous expression on each of their faces. Only Sasuke managed to look courageous. The look of pure determination was held in his posture and I was fascinated. His reasons behind that determination were unknown to me and I couldn't help but admire it. Whatever the reason, it must have been important because not even another dark laugh from the killer shook him up.

"Listen," Kakashi began seriously. We all turned our attention to him at the sound of his voice. Whenever Kakashi was serious, we knew that what he had something important to say. "Even if he gets me, I'll still protect you." He looked to us over his shoulder, a smile coming to his lips. "I will…never let my comrades die."

My face brightened and I smiled jovially. I always knew that I could trust this man, but complete admiration was born in these few seconds. His miss-matched eyes locked with mine and the emotions passing through them were of guilt and sorrow. I nodded to him reassuringly, his words already taking place in my heart. It wasn't his fault that I had "died". It was my own decision and I wouldn't let him blame himself.

I wasn't the only one impressed with Kakashi's words though. Naruto, Tazuna, and Sakura also looked more relieved. The grip that Naruto held on his kunai weakened as did Sakura's. But the feeling of comfort didn't make my raven haired friend and I relax. The danger was too great, even if a Jounin was protecting us.

Those feelings of console didn't last a moment longer.

"I wouldn't bet on that." My eyes widened and I immediately moved backward towards Tazuna, my senses kicking into overdrive.

_Here he comes! _

Said Missing-Nin appeared without a sound…in the middle of our group. We all gasped -mine in an act since I knew he was coming- when his broadsword shot out between us, making a barrier in the middle of the party. Tazuna and I ended up separated from the other Genin and I stood ready. I was now the only person between Zabuza and his target.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura whirled around to face the ninja, a look of pure horror on their faces. Their shocked eyes locked on mine as soon as Zabuza completed his jutsu's last seal.

"It's over."

Kakashi's movement was the only thing that kept me from thrusting my knife into his stomach. Our leader shoved through the squad, knocking each of us in separate directions at the force, and tackled Zabuza.

I landed on my back beside Tazuna but quickly got to my knees. The hand on my stomach managed to stay in place, but the impact still caused me to wince. The knife in our sensei's hand stabbed through the assassin's stomach and the enemy wore a horrified expression. Before it could happen, I knew he was going to turn to liquid.

_The_ Zabuza Momochi was no push over.

The water clone liquefied and another Zabuza took its place behind Kakashi. His broadsword cut through the air towards Kakashi's unguarded side. The confident look in Kakashi's eyes was enough to tell me it was only a clone as well.

"Sensei! Behind you!" Naruto's exclamation went unnoticed when the sword completely cut through him. Sakura screamed and took stumbling steps away from the Missing-Nin. I blinked once in awe when Kakashi's form turned to _water._

_He copied Zabuza's jutsu in less than a second… Impressive. He's not even an Uchiha and he's nearly mastered the Sharingan. _I let out a silent laugh as a smile came to my lips. _Guess I can't talk. The same goes for me as well._

Surprise passed through Zabuza's eyes but it was soon wiped away when a kunai was placed at his throat. "Don't move. Game over."

The glare on Kakashi's face was fierce and I was glad not to be at the end of it. The quick movements were over for now and Naruto took the chance to sidle over to me, but not before yelling out his thoughts.

"Nice one, sensei! You totally fooled him!" He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it in concern. "You alright, Hikari?" I looked into his bright blue eyes and nodded reassuringly. He helped me to my feet and took a protective step in front of me, just in case.

I restrained myself from arching an eyebrow at his motion. _Does _everyone _think I need to be protected? I'm a ninja for Kami's sake! I can protect myself, injury or no injury!_ A frustrated sigh left my lips after I caught sight of the protective gleam in two sapphire eyes. _Guess they're just being careful…_

Zabuza stood straight, not wanting to be beheaded, and looked ahead. Something wasn't right. He was giving up too easily. I clenched my teeth once I finished analyzing him. His sword's detail was off. The half moon indention on it's side was an inch longer and the position was a few centimeters lower. This was another water clone.

I snuck a look at Sakura when I heard her giggle. Her hands were cupped around her face and she was smiling. I shook my head at her naivety. She was in for a rude awakening. Sasuke stood next to her, kunai hanging at his side. He glanced towards me a few times to check on my healing progression. He would have come over if he didn't have the duty of protecting Sakura as well.

Zabuza chuckled lowly and lowered his sword until it hit the dirt. "You think it's over? You just don't get it. It will take more to defeat me than mimicking me like an ape. A lot more."

He eyed me warily, the gleam in his eyes dangerous. He knew that I knew he was only a clone. I glared back in frustration. If I exposed him, he'd expose me. Keeping my mouth shut was the only thing I could do. He smirked and Naruto narrowed his eyes. He stepped further in front of me and almost blocked my view of the ninja completely.

Zabuza laughed again and tightened his grip on his sword. "But you are good! In that short time, you duplicated my water clone and by making your own clone say something you'd have said yourself, you ensured all my attention would be focused on it while you yourself used the Kirigakure technique of hiding in the Mist, watching my every move!"

Kakashi looked surprised and his grip on the kunai faltered for a moment. His eyes resumed their narrowed appearance and his grip once again tightened when the Mist Ninja looked to me.

"Clever tactic, but I've seen it before." My glare sharpened and his smirk grew at my dispense. "It doesn't take a genius to think of it. I bet even one of these _kids _could pull it off." His sword lifted from the ground and he turned his gaze back to Kakashi. "Too bad that I can't be fooled by that mediocre tactic again."

The real Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi in an instant and Kakashi's eyes widened in shock. I gasped when I saw the position of Zabuza's sword. It was positioned to strike lethally. The Zabuza clone vaporized before Kakashi could look back. He wasn't going to dodge if he continued the movement.

"Kakashi!" I exclaimed, taking a step towards the fight. "Get down!"

He must have trusted me because he quickly ducked, the blade sailing just inches above his silver hair. Zabuza's move didn't falter at the shift. Instead of readying another blow, he ran the blade into the ground and used it as leverage for another attack.

There was no way Kakashi could avoid the kick. Zabuza's foot slammed into Kakashi's side and he was sent flying over our heads towards the lake.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura cried out, her eyes wide in fear. Sasuke pushed her back and held his kunai out in a defensive position. Naruto watched our leader with shocked eyes and Tazuna looked petrified.

Zabuza steadied himself and moved to pull his sword from the dirt. His eyes were focused on he airborne Jounin and I knew he was moving in for another attack while Kakashi was defenseless.

I pushed away the pain in my ribs and took my hand away. Without hesitation, I grabbed for my weapon case and pulled out Deidara's gift from a while back. I rolled out a one-inch ball of clay and stuck a red tablet inside.

_If two inches equals a twenty-foot explosion, then this should expand into a range of ten. Hope this works!_

Zabuza leapt over our heads to get to the Leaf Ninja while I pulled my arm back. "Stand down!" I launched the small bomb towards the bank of the lake and before it hit the ground, I yelled out the exploding command. "Katsu!"

The small clay ball exploded into flames immediately. The five of us raised our arms to block any debris from hurling towards us. The Missing-Nin was forced to stop to avoid the deadly flames, giving Kakashi enough time to land safely in the water.

_Success! Now Kakashi can regroup and get back in action! _

I smirked when Zabuza growled in annoyance, knowing that Iwas the one who had halted his advance_. _He glared back at me for a moment before disappearing in a flash once again.

Sasuke and Sakura ran over to us and looked to the scene in shock. Sakura stared at me then back to the flames. "Was that a _bomb? _How-?"

"I'll explain later." Naruto helped Tazuna to his feet while Sasuke and I moved to stand in front of the group. The pain in my ribs was nearly gone so I didn't bother to continue healing it. I'd sit out if it got too serious. "We need to focus on our part of this fight."

"Right." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the center of the water ripples, waiting for Kakashi to emerge. "We need to focus on backing Kakashi up. Even if it's just protecting the client." His eyes glanced to me for a moment before turning back. "Hikari. You should cover Tazuna in the back of our group." I blinked once in surprise and waited for him to finish. "You're not fully healed yet and your bones will break if you get hit in the chest again."

I smiled lightly and shook my head. "Sorry, Sasuke. But I'm going to have to decline." He glanced over to me sharply and my expression morphed into one of determination. His gaze hardened when I wouldn't back down.

"Hikari-."

"I appreciate your concern, Sasuke, but I can protect myself against this brute." He grimaced and I took in a sharp breath. "I'll sit out if it gets too bad, I promise."

"Hn." He pulled out a kunai and handed it too me without another glance. "If you're going to be stubborn then you need to be armed. I don't want you to die from some stupid shuriken."

He resumed his fighting stance and I copied the motion. "Thanks." He nodded and registered his dark eyes on the water once more.

I could feel the warmth from the flames and hear them crackle as they began to diminish. I let out a breath when Kakashi surfaced. When he didn't immediately stand on the water, I was confused.

That is, until I took in the properties in the water. The way it fell off his clothes…it was like oil. Thick and heavy. Zabuza reappeared on the water right behind Kakashi, forming seals in the process.

"Hah! Gullible fools!" The last hand seal finished and I cursed. That's what Zabuza had wanted all along.

"What?!" Kakashi couldn't even get to a kneeling position before the Mist Nin's jutsu activated.

A sphere of water surrounded Kakashi and began to swirl in all directions, creating a complete barrier. Zabuza's right hand stayed inside the prison. He couldn't separate from it or the jutsu would drop.

"That prison is inescapable. You're trapped." He formed another hand seal and turned his attention to us, an evil gleam in his eyes. "You running around free makes it too hard for me to do my job. I'll finish you later…after I've dealt with all the others."

A water clone of Zabuza formed from the lake and stood on the water. I heard Sakura and Naruto gasp in shock. I took a defensive position locked my gaze with my former teacher's clone. Sasuke and I took a step back for every step he took forward.

Zabuza laughed, more in amusement of me acting nervous than anything else. His gaze moved to each of our group's faces before falling on Naruto's. "Little ninja wannabes. Trying so hard to fit in, you even wear a Konohagakure headband. But a true ninja is one who has crossed and re-crossed the barrier between the lands of the living and the dead."

He formed the transportation hand seal and I backed up towards the group. Sakura stood a few yards behind me and Tazuna a few feet behind her. Sasuke and Naruto were both on my left. I closed my eyes in concentration, focusing on his chakra presence.

_If he's smart, he'll hit the weakest point in our wall first. I'm safe for now so Sasuke or Naruto will be the target. Picking us off one by one would be the easiest way to get to the bridge builder._

"Clothes don't make a shinobi you need skills good enough to rate a listing in my bingo book of enemies before you deserve to be called ninja. We don't call your kind "ninja." We call them something entirely different."

Naruto gulped and looked around nervously. Zabuza smirked and I knew that Naruto was going to be his victim. I turned to my friend a few moments before Zabuza appeared.

"Naruto! He's coming after you!" Naruto's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to respond when I cut him off. "Move, now!" He hesitated and that cost him a kick to the stomach. He let out a scream as he was sent airborne.

His headband flipped away and landed at Zabuza's feet. He skidded on the ground a few yards before I was able to stop him. Blood dripped down his chin and I helped him into a sitting position. My dark gaze never left the demonic Mist Ninja.

"We call them, brats."

Sakura let out a gasp and moved back towards Tazuna when the Zabuza clone took a step. Naruto wiped his chin, a terrified expression on his face. Sasuke's eyes sharpened. He threw the kunai at Zabuza's feet in a warning to not come any closer.

Zabuza's advance _did _halt, but the kunai had little to do with it. He stared down at the lone knife before chuckling. He picked it up and twirled it around his fingers, eyeing the brave Uchiha in amusement.

I was shocked that Sasuke had the guts to threaten him.

"Bravery only rivals stupidity, kid. You'd do well to remember that." He flicked his wrist and the kunai was sent flying right back at me.

I was about to move, but a quick pull on my wrist dragged me out of the way. The kunai embedded itself in a tree on the other side of the clearing and the grip on my wrist faded when I was safe. I looked over to an enraged Uchiha in slight shock.

Why had he pulled me out of the way? He knew that I was perfectly capable of dodging a simple kunai, so why had he reacted like that? He was once again partially in front of me and I frowned.

_Again with the over protectiveness! Have they _not _seen me train this last month? I'm just as right at their level! ……kind of. But that still doesn't explain why they keep treating me like a helpless female!_

I was sure Zabuza was smirking under those bandages. "Looks like the helpless girl needs a bodyguard of her own. _Cute_."

I mentally groaned. _Now __**he's**__ making fun of me! This stinks!_

Sasuke growled in his throat and pulled out another weapon. "Don't call her that."

Zabuza pointed his long blade at Sasuke. "Oh yeah. And what are you gonna do about it, kid." Sasuke narrowed his eyes angrily and I quickly grabbed his arm before he did anything reckless.

The Mist ninja's eyes locked with mine and I silently begged him to just leave my friend alone. Zabuza reluctantly moved his sword back to his side but his arrogant demeanor never changed.

"Everyone, listen!" We all looked towards the water prison that held Kakashi captive. The Jounin's eyes were wide and his expression fearful. "Take Tazuna and go! It's a fight you can't win. If he wants to hold me in this prison, he can't leave this place!"

"What-?!" Naruto was cut off when Kakashi continued.

"If his water clone gets more than a certain distance away from his real body, he'll lose control of it! So get out of here!"

Naruto tensed when he tried to push himself to his feet. His eyes traveled down to his bandaged hand and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

_How'd that happen? The battle with the two Chuunin?_

Suddenly, Naruto stood up and raced towards Zabuza. My eyes widened and I was shocked, to say the least. But what surprised me the most was that Naruto wasn't aiming to attack. His eyes were focused on something else entirely.

_What are you-?_

"Stop you fool!" Kakashi exclaimed.

"Naruto! What are you thinking!" Sakura put her hands on her head and looked at him like he was crazy. Sasuke looked startled by his action but didn't make a move to stop him. Even if he tried, what would he be able to do? No one could stop Naruto when he was that determined.

"Hah, imbecile."

I shut my eyes when I heard a loud "pow" My eyes opened right after and Naruto once again skidded against the ground back at us. He stopped on his stomach at our feet and I scowled at Zabuza darkly. He narrowed his eyes right back and gestured towards himself.

"You want to try next, girl?" Sasuke growled in his throat at the Assassin and put himself slightly more in front of me.

I frowned at Zabuza's obvious taunting, wanting nothing more than to beat him to a bloody pulp…but I knew he wouldn't rat me out. If he did, I would be able to use my full abilities and he would be as good as dead.

Sakura looked at Naruto angrily. "What were you thinking, Naruto!" She moved her hands in angry motions and I made sure to stay a few feet away from her. I didn't want to be hit by a flailing appendage. "You think you're so cool but Genin like us can't-."

When Naruto began to push himself up, she stopped talking. We were all surprised when we saw what was in his hand. His Konoha headband. He slowly got to his feet and I looked to him in admiration. Blood dripped from his chin and he wiped it away with his fist.

He let out a short laugh before speaking to Zabuza. "Hey…you…what's life like without eyebrows, freak?"

I muffled a laugh when I caught the expression on said ninja's face. But, laughing now wouldn't have been appropriate.

"Got some new listings for your bingo book right here! A guy who is going to be the next Hokage of Konohagakure and his right hand woman!"

He stood up proudly, a determined smirk on his face. I smiled triumphantly when Naruto tied his headband back on his forehead. He pulled me up to his side and put his arm over my shoulder. I blinked in surprise as Naruto pointed a finger at Zabuza.

"Naruto Uzumaki and Hikari Phoenix of Konoha!"

The happiness that was sent through me was amazing. I knew that Naruto respected me, but I didn't know that he liked me enough to want me at his side _when_ he ruled over Konoha.

"Sasuke, Hikari! Listen up. There's something I need to tell you."

Sasuke and I looked to him questioningly. "What is it?"

"I have a plan."

Sasuke scoffed and smirked while I shook my head in disbelief.

_**Now **__he has a plan? It's like…he just changed out of nowhere. _

"Hmph. So it's time for some teamwork?" Naruto nodded to the Uchiha and I gave him a thumbs-up.

"I'm in." I backed up to stand between the two ninja, a determined smirk on my face. "It's time to see how much our training has paid off." Sasuke nodded and put on a face similar to mine. Naruto made a fist and held it up to his face in a firm gesture.

"Alright. Let's get busy. Time for us…to rock and roll!"

I heard Sakura clap her hands together in excitement. "Right!"

"Heh, heh…you're very sure of yourself." We all glared back at Zabuza and he smirked. "But do you really think you stand a chance against me?"

I took a step forward and ran a hand through my hair arrogantly. "Let's find out." I snuck a glance at Sakura. "Sakura." She straightened to attention and waited for what I had to say. "Stay back and guard Tazuna from a close distance. We're going in."

_Kakashi's going to blow a gasket. We're completely going against the rules _and _we're ignoring his orders... Ha. When's the last time I cared about breaking a few rules anyway? _

My prediction came true when Kakashi yelled at us furiously. "What's the matter with you?! I told you to run! It's over…It was over the second he caught me! You have a duty to the client! We're here to protect Tazuna!"

I clenched my fist and stared at him incredulity. "And what about you, Kakashi?! Do you expect us to just leave you with that demon!!" I waved my hand through the air in a horizontal arc. "That's not going to happen!"

He stared right at me and placed his hands on the prison wall. "Hikari! Listen to me! You know more about these situations than the rest of the team! You can't stay here! You'll be putting all of their lives at risk! Take the team and head back to the mainland! You'll get an escort back to Konoha when you cross over the border. You're in charge of the squad until then, so go!"

My eyes widened at his exclamation. I couldn't believe that Kakashi actually trusted me to get his team out of here. He was putting _me _in charge of Team 7. _I _was the one he was entrusting the lives of four others in... He would never do something like that unless he was desperate.

"Kakashi, I can't-."

"Don't argue with me!" I almost flinched at his sharp tone. His eyes were narrowed in his irritation. "I'm putting my trust in your abilities. You can do this. Take everyone out of here, Hikari. Now!"

_What should I do? I can't just leave Kakashi here. Zabuza will kill him. _I turned my gaze to my teammates, silently asking their opinions. Naruto shook his head. Sakura didn't say anything but she looked like she wanted to leave. Sasuke kept his face indifferent but the fierceness in his eyes showed that he wanted to stay as well.

Finally, I looked to Tazuna. I couldn't see his eyes from under his large hat but a smug smirk was on his face. Naruto furrowed his eyebrows and looked to the older man.

"Gramps?"

Tazuna lifted his large hat away from his eyes and looked at our group confidently. "Let's face the facts. I'm the one who got us into this mess by lying. I've had a real long life and it would be wrong to let you five guys get yourselves killed trying to save me." He looked at me and nodded in confirmation. "So you go ahead. Give this fight everything you've got!"

I nodded back before turning back to my comrades. "Alright guys. Let's do this." I looked to Naruto. "What's the plan, Naruto." He nodded before huddling in towards Sasuke and I.

I kept my eyes on Zabuza while he explained, not wanting to be caught off guard if he suddenly moved. He was casually leaning against his sword and shaking his head in disbelief.

"Hmph. So that's it." Sasuke smirked and turned his narrowed eyes back to me. "Are you ready for this, guys?"

"For sure."

"You bet!"

"As Naruto said before…"I pulled out a kunai and got in my position. "Let's rock and roll." Kakashi didn't look too happy with our decision and saying "not too happy" was the understatement of the century. Before he could retort however, Zabuza cut him off.

He laughed heartily, pulled his sword out of the ground once again, and sheathed it over his back.. "Apparently you don't care whether you live to get any older. Playing at being a ninja like it's a child 's game." His hands came up to his face. "I however…by the time I was your age…had already dyed these hands in blood."

Everyone besides Kakashi and I, seemed both shocked and confused. They wanted to know about this **demon **as well. About his bloody past.

Kakashi didn't disappoint. He pushed his anger away for a moment and concentrated on making his past sound as gruesome as possible. I realized his plan after a few minutes. He was trying to scare us away and I had to admit…he was doing a heck of a good job.

I felt the shiver go through everyone, including myself. Just having the Mist Ninja's story repeated sent shivers down my spine. How painful it would be to kill all the people you became so close to.

"Ah, yes. Good times." I gaped at him and clenched my fists in anger. He'd never said that before. "I used to have such **fun**."

"What?!" I exclaimed, not acting shocked anymore. I couldn't believe he had actually _said _that! He might have thought the awful statement, but saying it out loud…that was sick. "You're insane!"

He chuckled darkly and his eyes turned into slits. "Maybe so… But that's better than being a weak _loser_." My eyes widened when he moved forward quickly.

Right to me. I put my hands out in front of me defensively, waiting for the blow. I could already feel my ribs shattering. I had a choice to make. Protect myself from massive injury and ruin the mission or…take the massive injury like a ma-err-woman. I only had a second to figure it out.

_This is going to hurt. _I forced as much chakra as I could muster to my stomach and chest, hoping that the blow might be softened. I closed my eyes and prepared myself.

But the blow never came…to me.

As soon as I heard the hit, my eyes snapped open and I gasped in shock. Sasuke had taken it for me. Zabuza's forearm rammed into his stomach before plowing him down into the dirt. A small crater was formed at the impact and Sasuke let out a pained scream.

"Sasuke!" Sakura and I exclaimed.

He lay their motionlessly, Zabuza's foot planted on his chest to keep him so. His face was contorted in pain and his eyes were closed tightly in agony. I had to do something. Seeing him in pain was antagonizing. Just looking at him made my heart ache.

Zabuza stared down to him impassively and I felt my anger and rage building. "Time to die."

I clenched my teeth hard and glared daggers. If Zabuza wanted a fight, he was going to get one. No one messed with my friends and was left unharmed. I launched myself at him, fire burning in my eyes.

"Get off him, Momochi!"

"Hikari! Stop!" I heard Kakashi's exclamation but ignored it, too focused on my target to stop.

Zabuza sensed me coming and quickly pulled out his blade. My kunai met with his sword and the force behind my jump made the clone take a step back and off my best friend. I combined my assault with a kick to his head while I was still in the air. My heel connected with the metal of his headband and I twisted to nail him in the cheek with my other foot.

I landed in front of him and he quickly righted himself before I was able to perform any more Taijutsu moves. Sasuke moved to his hands and knees after gathering oxygen to his lungs. He was panting heavily but his injury wasn't serious. I still asked if he was alright though.

Before he could answer, dozens of Naruto clones surrounded us. Zabuza held his sword at his side and looked around at all the clones. I crouched down and awaited Naruto's assault.

"Ready or not!" All the Naruto clones jumped onto the ninja, kunai extended in each of their hands. The attack only served to take Zabuza's attention from Sasuke and I. But not for long.

The pile shook before the clones were all thrown back by Zabuza's sword. They let out screams and disappeared when they hit the ground. The real Naruto skidded back once again but this time, he pulled out something from his backpack.

"Sasuke!" He tossed the black item to him when he moved passed the Uchiha. When I realized what it was, I grinned. Not only because it was a giant shuriken, but because the shuriken was a transformation.

A transformation of my good friend nonetheless.

Time to put Naruto's plan to action. And unlike the water sneak attack during Survival Training, this plan was good.

Sasuke rolled to the side and jumped up to grab the large weapon, secretly taking out one of his own, and stood up straight. The shuriken unfolded in front of him and his eyes widened in focus.

"Demon Wind Shuriken! Windmill of Shadows!" He crouched down to prepare for a jump and "Naruto" gave me a thumbs-up sign, signaling my part in his plan to commence.

"Got'cha!" I charged forward towards the Zabuza clone just as planned and awaited the shuriken that would be coming up behind me. Sasuke would throw it in ten seconds.

_Alright. All I have to do is make sure the clone is too distracted to stop the shuriken from reaching the real Zabuza. Destroying the clone would be preferable…nine seconds._

"Hehe." Zabuza crouched into an offensive position. "Fighting alone? That makes sense."

"Shut up!" _Seven seconds. _

I leapt forward, leg extended. Zabuza's sword came up to block my kick, just like I knew it would. Both my feet planted themselves against the flat part of his blade and I crouched down before flipping forward over his head and slamming both my heels against the back of his skull.

_Five seconds. _Zabuza let out a grunt before swiping his sword backwards where I was going to land.

"Hikari!" Naruto exclaimed. I took notice of his words and quickly somersaulted out of the way.

From my position on the ground, I was able to pull out an exploding tag and wrap it around a kunai knife. Zabuza followed up with a vertical slash, much like the one in the forest half an hour ago, and I jumped forward. There was only two seconds left.

I brought the kunai up to my face and launched it towards the clones face. The Assassin's clone grabbed my wrist and my face was inches away from his. My eyebrows furrowed in mock irritation. I still had to put on an act for Team 7 and Tazuna, but the smirk that came to my face was fine.

"Zero." Zabuza's face morphed into partial shock and I looked at him evilly before making a single handed seal. "Katsu!" Zabuza's eyes widened as the kunai exploded in our faces.

I heard frantic screams from all of my allies when the explosion sent me flying backwards towards the lake. Luckily, the only thing that the explosion tag burnt was my palm but that wouldn't be a major problem. I couldn't use my healing power to fully heal a burn, but the pain would decrease. But the glove that normally adorned my hand would definitely need replaced.

I skidded across the water, flipping several times before being stopped by something solid. The solid thing was spinning and was made of something wet. I didn't have to look back to know it was the prison that Kakashi was being held in. I let out an "umph" when I collided. Taking minimal notice of Kakashi's frantic voice behind me and the screams of the others, I let myself fall forward.

The last thing I glimpsed was the large shuriken spinning towards Zabuza. Our plan was in action and I let a small smirk cross my lips before willingly sinking into the blue depths.


	25. Chapter 25: Assassin of the Mist Final

Chapter 25: The End of the Assassin of the Mist

Hikari's Pov

The whole thing wasn't really painful. My body was already internally going through a healing system, but faking it was important. I just hoped that the plan was going accordingly.

Looking up to the surface, I saw the spinning sphere and Zabuza's feet on the water. I pushed some of my hair out of the way when it blocked my vision. In a few seconds, the sphere died down to completely nothing and I knew that our plan had worked. The millions of bubbles on the other side of the lake alerted me that someone else had fallen into the water as well.

_I think I've been under here long enough. _

Just to be safe, I swam to the bank of the lake before surfacing. I took in a large breath but had to push away from the edge quickly to avoid a foot that was about to kick my face.

Sasuke came to a quick stop and took a moment to regain his balance from the movement. His face was close to frantic looking but it changed back to normal after he shook his head. He knelt down and reached for me, his deep black orbs never leaving mine.

I took his hands and immediately pulled my left back. The burn stung like crazy and I shook my hand wildly, letting a hiss of pain leave my lips.

I could still remember the first time I was burnt.

Instead of my hand, he grasped the wrist of that arm. I climbed out of the water with his help, careful not to slip and fall back in.

When we stood up straight, he kept hold of my wrist and lifted it to his eyes. The burnt flesh of my skin became visible to him and his eyes narrowed at the sight. His angered glare turned on me and I grinned nervously.

"I'm going to sit out until I can properly wrap my hand."

Sasuke nodded and took his eyes from mine to look at the Jounin on the lake. My eyes followed and they widened in awe when I saw the look in Kakashi's eyes. His Sharingan spun wildly and he glared at Zabuza ferociously. Yes. This was going to be the funeral of the Mist Assassin.

"This is going to get ugly fast."

"Come on." He tugged my wrist once in the direction of Sakura and Tazuna. "Let's get a safe distance away from the battle." I nodded and we both quickly ran over to the two others on the field. My shoulders sagged in slight annoyance when Sasuke let go of my wrist after pushing me behind him and next to Sakura.

I noticed that Naruto had already surfaced and let out a relieved sigh. _Glad he's alright._

"Just so you know. The same jutsu won't work on me twice." Kakashi spared me a glance and I nodded in reassurance. He looked back at Zabuza with his sharp glare. "Your move."

The two ninja separated, jumping back to opposite sides of the lake. They began forming hand seals at a rapid rate and I finally felt at home at the sight. They finished with the sign of the bird and water dragon was formed. The dragons collided at the center and I put my forearms up to block water from my face. Said liquid rushed around our group, reaching our chests and Tazuna's stomach.

Sakura was about to fall backwards from the water but I quickly grabbed her wrist to keep her upright. Her eyes widened when she didn't fall and she looked to me with a gracious smile. I didn't let go until the water receded to our ankles.

What I was worried about the most at that moment was Naruto. I prayed that he was out of range of the attack. I didn't want him to get himself killed before I could congratulate him on his awesome plan…Scratch that, I didn't want him to get himself killed period!

I found him clinging to a tree trunk on the left side of the clearing and thanked Kami he was alright. Sasuke looked over his shoulder to our group and made sure we were in good condition before turning back to the fight.

Kakashi and Zabuza were once again locked in the middle, kunai to sword, but not for a second longer. They jumped back a few yards, their feet clapping against the water when they began to dash around each other.

I blinked once in awe when Kakashi perfectly mimicked Zabuza's move. Zabuza also looked startled at the sight. I for one was impressed with the skill he possessed with the Sharingan. What he was doing now was remarkable. Watching the Sharingan in action was probably one of my favorite things to witness.

Zabuza waved his hand down to his side and Kakashi did the exact same thing at the same time. Zabuza's eyes once again widened and I smirked. If Kakashi was attempting what I thought he was, this would be very entertaining.

_I wonder if Kakashi can pull it off._

"Through them all." My smirk widened when Zabuza looked surprised yet again. He formed a few hand seals, which Kakashi copied of course, and looked like he was having an inner battle. "…Got that sickening look in his eye."

He made yet another seal and they stared into each other's eyes. "Feh…You're a pale imitation."

"I'm the genuine article. No mere copycat stands a chance against me." The two Jounin had spoken in unison and Zabuza looked like he was completely losing it.

Tazuna's eyebrows furrowed in confusion to Kakashi's statements. He must have seen my smirk because I was the one he directed his question at. "Hey, girl. What's your sensei talking about? He's just blurting out random things and then he and that monster say the same thing. I think he's gone crazy."

I didn't look back to the middle-aged man but I did answer his question…only because Sakura looked curious as well. I was still not on friendly terms with this man and I doubted that I ever would be.

"Kakashi is performing a remarkable ability with his Sharingan." I caught Sasuke's attention at the mention of the Sharingan and I continued without hesitation. "He's copying the exact seals at the same moment that Zabuza is performing them. The Sharingan at its basic level can only be used to copy a technique after it is performed. The way Kakashi is using it now is incredible. Not only is he completing the same seals as Zabuza, he's also pulling an old ruse of many Sharingan users…he's faking that he's psychic."

"Psychic?" Sakura looked at me strangely, one eyebrow arched. "How could he-."

"He's analyzed his opponent well." The dark haired boy took a few steps back until he was standing between Sakura and me. His eyes were still locked on the Jounin fighting on the water. "It's not difficult if you've gathered enough information on your opponent and just the sight of the Sharingan can make anyone paranoid to an extent."

He eyed me from behind his dark locks and I looked right back from the corner of my own. The emotions in his eyes were between curiosity and envy. I assumed that he wanted to know how I knew so much about the Sharingan. He even seemed jealous that I knew some important details. I turned my attention back forward when I heard Zabuza's exclamation.

"You mimic me like a parrot! I'll shut your beak for good!"

He performed dozens more hand seals and Kakashi did the same…only at a faster rate. Perfect. Kakashi had Zabuza right where he wanted him and he was able to complete Zabuza's jutsu before him.

"What the-?!"

The giant waterfall jutsu slammed into Zabuza and sent him flying back. The water was even higher than before, nearly reaching the treetops, and I took a step back from the approaching tsunami wave coming towards us.

If we didn't move, we'd be blown away as well. The trees around us would suffice for an anchor. Sasuke had the same idea because he was quickly at Tazuna's side. Sakura was still too petrified by the monstrosity of the wave to move so I quickly grabbed her around the waist and jumped over to the large tree.

I set Sakura on a high tree branch beside me and we wrapped our arms around it's trunk. Sasuke had Tazuna on a thick branch a few feet away while he stood on the same branch as me.

"Hold on everyone!"

I felt my friend's left arm come around me to reach the trunk while his right held on to the bark tightly. I felt the water rush around us and I was thankful that we'd chosen a strong tree.

Sasuke's grip tightened, his dark hair brushing against my cheek softly. I smiled at his protective nature and moved closer to him out of reflex. I felt perfectly safe with his arm around me and at moments like these, I realized how lucky I was to have a friend like him. He was the perfect companion and I was honored that he cared enough to want to protect me. I doubted he'd do that for many others.

"This is the end, Zabuza!"

The water drained down to puddles and the four of us found Zabuza pinned against a tree by several kunai. He stared up at Kakashi fearfully, water running down his face. Kakashi crouched down on the branch above him, a kunai brandished in front of his eyes.

"What…Can you see the future?" He hardly had the energy to turn his face up to the Jounin.

Sasuke took his arms away from me, an unnoticeable blush coming to his face. Or at least it was unnoticeable to the Genin and I. Tazuna only smirked before turning back to the fight.

Kakashi's glare sharpened and the grip he held on the weapon tightened. "I foresee…your death."

For some reason, the defeated look on Zabuza's face sent a pain through my heart. I didn't understand why until I thought about what he'd done for me in the past. I kneeled down on the branch before jumping down, my teammates and Tazuna coming right behind me.

I…owed him my life. I had not been completely honest when I told the squad my story. _He _was the one who had _found_ me, not Icatai. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here.

Shaking my head slightly didn't even help clear the annoying thoughts and the twinge of betrayal was only growing. Could I actually stand by and watch Kakashi kill the man that had saved me? …I could, but I would come to regret it.

But why should I regret it? He had tried to kill my teammates! Why should I feel any sort of remorse for the Missing Nin's death?

_Because he's important to Haku._

Suddenly, another presence made itself known when two senbon needles sliced through the air…and headed straight for Zabuza. Turning to the location they had flown from, I saw someone that I never thought I'd see again.

I barely registered the sound of the needles hitting flesh and the shriek that Sakura omitted at the sight. I was too preoccupied on the mask adorned face of my good friend. His stance on the tree was relaxed and his long black hair gently swayed around him. He was just how I remembered him.

At the sound of a large "thud", I turned back to the previous fight, only to see Zabuza immobile on the dirt floor. Two senbon needles protruded from his neck, but the points that they hit were not vital.

Taking a quick glance around showed me the shocked expressions on the Genin, Tazuna, and Kakashi's faces. No one had expected another person to enter the fight.

I should have.

His attention was focused on Kakashi who stared back cautiously. "Looks like your prediction came true. Well done."

Kakashi jumped down to Zabuza's body and felt for a pulse. There wasn't going to be one.

At least not for a few days.

The boy's needles had not punctured any vital organ in the neck. I would know. That was one of my first lessons. His eyes were on me and I stood rooted to the spot, hoping that he didn't recognize me -at least not at the moment-, but knowing that my wish was futile.

His held tilted back to Kakashi and he nodded once. "I must thank you for your help. I hope you don't mind my interfering, but I wanted the satisfaction of putting Zabuza out of his misery myself."

Kakashi nodded back and I shifted uncomfortably, stuck between the feelings of wanting to run up and greet my friend and the knowledge of knowing he was tricking us. Naruto crawled onto the bank and stood up, shaking the water out of his hair. I would have grinned if not for my inner turmoil.

Our leader stood up from his crouched positioned before speaking. "The mask is familiar…correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you a shinobi hunter from Kirigakure?"

The masked ninja looked slightly taken back and hesitated a moment. "…Well, aren't you the smart one."

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and looked to me for the answer to his obvious question. I only glimpsed him in my side vision, but his confused look was apparent. I opened my mouth to answer when the boy beat me to it.

"I am indeed a member of the elite tracking unit from the village of Kirigakure." He turned his attention to Naruto. "It is our responsibility –and our art- to hunt down and deal with the rouges and outlaws."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed in an analyzing fashion and he stared at the boy for a few seconds. Sakura and Tazuna looked at my friend awestruck, neither believing that a boy my age could be so powerful. Sasuke looked at him with an almost unnoticeable zeal of envy and anger, not liking the fact that this boy was being treated as a superior to himself. Naruto's expression was by far the most noticeable.

His teeth were clenched and he kept looking from Tazuna to my friend and back. His eyes grew darker with anger and jealousy at each movement. The Mist nin was most likely narrowing his eyes in bewilderment at Naruto's strange behavior.

I put a hand to my forehead when Naruto pointed at him rudely and started shouting, "What's going on here?! Who are you?!"

The rest of my small group was partially startled that Naruto was shouting at someone who had just helped us out. I shook my head once and let out a breath. They had spent, what, twelve years with the hyperactive ninja and they didn't see _that_ coming?

Kakashi put a hand in his pocket and started over to our group. "Relax Naruto. He's not an enemy."

Naruto turned to him angrily. "That's not what I asked- I mean- what I mean is! He killed Zabuza, who wasn't exactly a pushover…but still got taken out by a guy who's our age! Like it was nothing! What, do we suck or something?! What's up with that?!"

I lowered my hand and gave Naruto a sympathetic look. _Things like this always happen, Naruto. Right now, he's had a lot more experience than you or any of the others thus far. _

"Oh. Well, you have my sympathy. I can see why a thing like that would be hard to accept…but it's a fact…you'll have to live with." Kakashi mused Naruto's hair, much to his annoyance. "This probably won't be the last time we run into a kid who's both younger than you…and stronger than me."

I breathed in sharply when Kakashi turned his head towards the group. I turned back to the boy on the branch quickly, knowing that Kakashi was trying to make eye contact with me. Said boy faced me once again. He nodded in acknowledgement and I merely grinned awkwardly.

"Hikari."

He recognized me. I didn't panic. So what if I knew a Kirigakure ninja? I _had _traveled the ninja world as a mercenary, the Land of the Mist included. Making an ally or companion on my travels would be expected by anyone.

"Haku…" I nodded back, a small smile coming to my lips. "It's nice to see you again. I hope you haven't forgotten about me."

"Wait, what?! Who are you?! And how do you know Hikari?!" Naruto's loud questions went unanswered and I swiftly combed my hair behind my ear, not taking my eyes off the black haired boy.

My teammates looked at me strangely, mixed emotions in their eyes. Kakashi's own narrowed when Haku transported in a gust of wind and appeared just a few yards from my small group. Our teacher and Naruto were on Haku's left a few feet and the rest of us were at his front. Haku made sure that Kakashi remained closer to the group than himself, more for security than anything else.

"On the contrary, I've missed you greatly." I couldn't keep my face from beaming and the image of his smiling face seemed to pierce through the white mask. "I see you've finally settled for Konohagakure. How did you decide?"

I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly, a small blush forming at the question. What was I supposed to say? I couldn't think of anything to tell the Hokage and now Haku asked!

Everyone else, besides Tazuna of course, looked interested as well and I let out a nervous laugh. "Actually…I have no idea. It was Icatai'sidea that we make a home in Konoha." I gave him an inconspicuous look and he didn't say anything. "I think he liked the scenery or something." I shrugged. "Which isn't half bad might I add. It's on my top five places to live so I didn't complain."

Haku shook his head once and let out a short sigh. "You could have stayed in Kirigakure, Hikari. We have a much better assassination program than Konohagakure offers."

I didn't have to look over to know that both Sakura and Sasuke's eyes had widened at the words "assassination program." _Way to go, Haku. Now they probably think I'm some sort of bloody demon. _

"WHAT?!" Naruto looked at me and I brought my hands up defensively. His azure orbs shifted to Haku and I almost cringed. Naruto was not happy, but not for the reason I was thinking of. "Konoha's twice as good as the stupid Mist Village! We-!"

"Alright, Naruto!" I smiled to him, trying to calm his temper before turning to Haku. His very demeanor was amused and I glared at him lightly. But I was in the middle of a mental sigh of relief, glad that at least he didn't take what Haku said seriously. "No need to start a fight. He was only joking."

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and stared pointedly at Haku, almost glaring with those sapphire jewels. Haku didn't take much notice and made a move to step closer to me, side glancing at Kakashi for permission. When Kakashi didn't react negatively –or pretty much didn't react at all- , he made the motion.

Not a second later, Sasuke's form came into my peripheral vision and Haku noticed. He stopped mid step and placed his foot back to its original position. He looked from me to the boy at my side and my gaze followed from the corner of my eyes.

Sasuke had taken a short step forward, his composure calm and apathetic. However, the silent threat in his gesture spoke volumes. 'Do **not** take a step closer.' Haku nodded to him in a silent agreement before turning back to me.

"It seems that you've made more friends on your travels as well. I hope they are as exceptional as your other travel companion." The short amusement in his voice made me giggle like a kid.

_Itachi, an "exceptional" travel companion. Pfft. Only when he actually talks with me instead of shooting around nasty glares._

"I apologize that I cannot speak with you longer. Nevertheless, I have a task that must be fulfilled. " He turned back to Zabuza's "corpse" and my eyes widened, although unnoticeably to everyone...Except the person that it **needed** to be hidden from the most.

Was I really going to let him get away with this? Could I actually betray my new friends for an old one? He did save me…I owe him my life but-. I turned my gaze to the ground, suddenly becoming interested in a stray leaf that had managed to stay dry during the fight.

_I wouldn't just be betraying my friends, I would be betraying all of Konoha. For mercenaries._

Haku hoisted one of Zabuza's arms over his shoulders with a grunt before nodding to Kakashi once again in thanks. "I thank you for your help. Your battle is over for now and the remains must be disposed of lest they give up secrets to our foes."

Sakura and Naruto made sickened faces and I could only imagine the images of a body being "disposed" going through their minds.

He made a hand seal and looked back to me. "I must be off. I hope to see you again, Hikari. There is much we need to discuss."

"I hope we see each other soon too, Haku." I flashed a fake smile, mentally screaming to expose him.

Kakashi could wipe both of the enemies out and we could get back to our mission and leave for Konoha without a care in the world! …But I couldn't get myself to rat him out. He was my friend still, on the enemy's side or not, he was still a good person.

I couldn't make myself do it.

"Until then…Tenshi."

The gust of wind returned and surrounded the two Shinobi before transporting them to Kami knows where. Naruto blinked rapidly and shouted out an obvious; "He's gone!" while the rest of us regrouped.

Kakashi pulled his headband over his Sharingan and let out a long sigh. He turned his gaze to our group, his serious look gone and the lazy one replacing it. I smiled, wondering how such a laid-back guy could be so strong.

"Now, we still need to escort Tazuna the rest of the way to his home. Let's not relax yet." His visible eye narrowed partially. "There could be others."

Tazuna tilted his hat and started laughing, causing our group to turn to him. "You poor kids! You must be so humiliated!" I sent him a sharp glare.

_Humiliated? We, a group of Genin, just managed to release Kakashi from an impenetrable prison that was guarded by the Demon of the Mist! __**And, **__we did it with only three of our members! What is wrong with you?!_

"But never mind. You can lick your wounds at my house." He looked at me plainly before his gaze traveled to my charred hand. "'Specially you girl. That was a pretty dumb tactic. Your palm's almost charred black."

I gritted my teeth and gently cradled my damaged hand to my chest. That was the _last _straw. I was _not _going to put up with him any longer! He was asking for a fight and he sure as heck was going to get one!

However, I was stopped from total annihilation when an unlikely ally spoke up.

"Mr. Tazuna."

I blinked when I heard the other female voice of our group. Sakura glared at him fiercely, nearly causing the rest of us to flinch at the force behind her two emerald irises. Naruto actually took a step back as if her glare was fixated on him.

"She did that to save _your _life. Without her, that clone would have stopped Naruto and Sasuke's attack and we'd all be dead now. So stop talking to us like we don't know anything!" She pointed to me. "And stop talking to our teammate like she's a weakling! She's better than all of us! Maybe better than all the Genin in the village! So stop acting like a pompous jerk and keep your trap shut unless you have something nice to say!"

Tazuna's face was blank, as was Naruto's and mine. Kakashi and Sasuke looked indifferent on the outside, but their narrowed eyes on our client said otherwise. I didn't know that Sakura cared that much, but I wasn't complaining. I was glad that she'd stuck up for the team, stuck up for me. She'd managed to get our point across and she'd managed to dispel my temporary fury without any kind of physical bind.

I was impressed. Only Itachi could do that.

Sakura turned back to the rest of the group happily, the smile on her face beaming. "Let's get going then. We still won't get to the client's house until tomorrow. So let's start moving. Right, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi nearly faltered from the abrupt change in her demeanor, but nodded nonetheless. "…Yes…Let's get moving, guys. We need to find a place to rest for the night." His eye looked between Naruto, myself, and Sasuke. "And I'll need to make sure you three have no major injuries. Hikari, how are your ribs? Are you able to move alright?"

I came out of my daze and flashed a grin. "I'll be fine until we get to the client's, sensei." I touched them carefully, checking for any breaks that I had yet to heal. "There are only a few cracks left. It's my hand that I'm worried about." I removed what was left of the glove and stuffed it in my pocket. "I'll fix it up when we stop."

"But do you need anyone to carry you Hikari?" Naruto came over to my side and crouched down, his eyes wide in concern. "Here, I'll give you a piggy-back ride so you don't hurt anymore."

"That's very kind of you Naruto, but I can walk fine. Thanks for your offer though. It was sweet."

Naruto stood up and rubbed the back of his head, a light blush crossing his face. "W-Well, I just wanted to make sure you're alright."

"Do you need anything, anything at all?" Sakura walked over and bumped Naruto out of the way to ask her question. I suppressed a grin, knowing that I was getting a big head from all this attention. They were treating me like some kind of hero.

"No thanks, Sakura. I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright then. How about you Naruto, Sasuke?"

Naruto puffed out his chest dramatically. "Nothing can hold me down, Kakashi-sensei! I'm good to go!"

I turned my gaze to Sasuke. He nodded once. "I'm fine. Let's just go, already."

"Good. Now that that's settled, let's get going." Kakashi gestured for us to follow and I obliged, only to be stopped by a hand grazing across my wrist.

"Don't…If you're not alright, you need to speak up." Sasuke looked at me strictly and I showed a small smile. "And don't say you're fine. You keep wincing every time you turn."

My smile turned into a frown immediately. My winces weren't that obvious. How did he notice them? "Don't worry so much, Sasuke. I'll be perfectly fine as long as I don't get another punch like that."

_I've been through worse…But I've never broken a bone before. That's kind of strange…I guess I've just been lucky._

Sasuke's eyes narrowed when I walked passed him, but he didn't make a move to reprimand me again. Naruto came over to walk beside me and my brilliant smile returned at the sight of his beaming face. He had a reason to be proud. We had just accomplished something amazing…well, at least…we kind of made a dent in the enemy's armor.

We each turned to take a step in Kakashi's direction when something happened.

Without a sound, Kakashi fell to the ground unconscious. Everyone gasped and I was the first to take action. I hastened over to his side and crouched down to flip him onto his back. When I couldn't budge him, Sasuke knelt down beside me and helped out. His mismatched eyes were loosely closed and he was taking in deep, ragged breaths.

I swiftly removed his headband, handed it to Sasuke, and placed the back of my hand on his forehead. He had a high fever running, but that was his largest problem.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura knelt on Kakashi's other side and Naruto followed suite. "What's wrong with him?!"

Emerald eyes widened in panic when ragged breaths escaped our teacher's covered lips. After forming rapid hand seals, the green glow of my healing jutsu returned and I tenderly laid my hands over his lungs and throat. His breathing soon regulated and he sighed in content.

"Don't worry, Sakura. He'll be alright. He's running a high fever now, but it will calm after a few hours in bed." I removed my glowing hands and let out a shaky breath when the light faded. Flashing a small smile, I pulled out two balls of clay and two yellow tablets with my right hand, letting my left hang at my side. "He should wake up a few minutes after we reach Tazuna's house."

"But we won't be there 'til tomorrow!" Naruto looked confused. "Are we going to carry him there, Hi-?" He smirked and I arched an eyebrow when he saluted me. "-Captain Hikari! You're the leader until Kakashi-sensei gets better, right?! Awesome! What do you want me to do, Captain?"

Sasuke snorted then flashed him a glare. "Stop fooling around, moron."

"Shut up you jerk!"

"Hey! Don't yell at Sasuke, Naruto!"

"But, Sakura! He started it!"

"Hn."

I took in a deep breath and stood up, slowly. All the yelling stopped when I narrowed my eyes in authority. Even Sasuke, gave me his full attention.

"Stop arguing about pointless things. I will not allow it as your…" I couldn't get the word out and Naruto gave me a large, cheeky grin. Sakura furrowed her eyebrows and Sasuke looked indifferent. "As your…captain."

_Captain? I'm…a captain. Of my own team…Wow, this is the first time I've ever had to truly lead. Sure Pein let me lead a few missions, but he was always there to help me out if I was in trouble, now…I am solely in charge of guarding all of them. Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, Tazuna. Sasuke… I can do this. _

"Yes, ma'am!" Naruto actually took a serious saluting pose and I could only smile and nod. "What do I need to do!"

"Okay, Naruto." I dipped back down behind Kakashi and gently sat him up with Sasuke and Sakura's help. His head fell to his chest in his limp form. "I need you and Sasuke to lift Kakashi-sensei off the ground so we can position him properly."

Naruto threw an arm none to gently over his shoulder and Sasuke followed the order as well, only with a little more vanes. On three, the two boys slowly and shakily stood with our teacher held between them while Sakura and I made sure to keep them balanced in case the weight was too much for them.

"Positioned?" A confused look came to Sakura's face. "What do you mean, 'positioned'?"

I smiled cheerfully. "What? You thought I was going to make you carry our teacher the rest of the way?"

Naruto looked back to me in confusion and I only smiled at his bewildered expression. "How else are we supposed to move him?" He pointed to the ground. "We can't just drag him on the ground."

"Give me a minute and I'll show you."

The Genin looked at me strangely, as I morphed the yellow tablets into the clay. Opening my palm, I allowed our group to see the small spheres. Sasuke and Naruto flinched and Sakura jumped back and reflexively brought her arms in front of her face.

"Another bomb?! How's that going to help anything?" I furrowed my eyebrows and turned away from them.

"It's not a bomb this time, Sakura." A quick grin and laugh. "It's our way out of here." Tossing the two clay balls forward, I formed the same hand sign as earlier. "Katsu!"

Instantly, the spheres exploded in a cloud of dust, leaving behind two very large clay birds with beautiful designs on their sides. They didn't have any wings at the moment but they would as soon as I said the word. They stood still, almost like statues.

"Woah!" Naruto's face beamed at the creations and he would have run over to touch them if Kakashi wasn't with holding him down. "Those look so cool! How'd you do that, Hikari?" He turned to me anxiously. "Can you show me?!"

I shook my head and swiftly walked over to the large sculpture on the left. "Sorry, Naruto. This was a gift from a friend and I'm not sure if he'll ever make them for me again."

_Though that would be awesome. These birds are beautiful. _I ran a hand over the bird's side. _And they're so smooth. Perfect for flying. Perfect artwork, Deidara. I didn't expect anything less. _

Depressed, Naruto's shoulders slumped, only to revive when I climbed onto one of them. I could sit with my legs crossed on it's back and there was still two feet of space to each of my sides, making this bird a good six feet wide and probably twelve feet long. The other bird was the same size in length, but it's width was only about two feet, perfect for riding it like a horse, which is exactly what I'd planned.

"We're gonna ride these things?! Yes!" Naruto smiled widely, excited and anxious, nearly jumping around and annoying Sasuke for moving so much. "Do they zip across the ground super fast?! We'll get there in no time if they do!"

I laughed and sat on my knees, beckoning the four people over to stand at the bird's side. They all, even Tazuna had to look up to meet my eyes on the high bird.

"Well, they do move really fast." I looked to Tazuna and he visibly flinched under my gaze, almost making me smirk.

_Afraid of disobeying me after Sakura's verbal assault. You should be. You would be black and blue if she hadn't stepped in. _

"Mr. Tazuna, please take Kakashi's right arm so Sasuke can help me up here. I can't do much with my hand like this." Obeying me almost immediately, the man held up Kakashi's right side, letting Sasuke jump onto the bird beside me. "Okay, now both of you need to lift Kakashi up here so Sasuke and I can get him positioned for the trip."

"Got it!" Naruto anxiously lifted Kakashi as best as he could, wanting to get on the bird as well. A grunt of effort and they managed to get him onto the bird with Sasuke and me helping pull him up.

We turned him onto his back and stretched him out across the entire bird's diameter. He barely fit without any part of his body hanging off at the sides. I let out a relieved breath and sat back down, crossing my legs. Sasuke took a similar position on Kakashi's other side, eyes focused on his left eye, the eye with the long scar. The hardest part was over.

Naruto was about to jump up when I stopped him. "Wait a second, Naruto." He looked up to me in misunderstanding and I pointed to the long, sleek bird. "You will be riding that bird with Tazuna and Sakura."

His shoulders slumped again when he heard that he would be riding with the client. "But _Hikari!_" He whined. "Why can't Sasuke ride that one?!"

"Because I need him to make sure Kakashi doesn't fall off."

"I can do that!" He waved his hands around frantically, coming up with more reasons by the second.

I smirked when he continued to complain and Sasuke glared at me for making him do so. I smiled sheepishly back and he crossed his arms and looked back to Kakashi passively. Finally cutting him off after a minute, I pointed to the bird.

"And by riding it, I mean, you're going to be the one driving."

He instantly shut up, looking to me in bewilderment. Sakura's face blanked, the thought of Naruto driving with her on the object going through her mind and Tazuna didn't look too much better. Sasuke arched an eyebrow and gave me a look and I only nodded back.

"You're going to have a very important job, Naruto." I sat up straight, my whole body facing Kakashi's form on the bird. "I'm going to sit like this the whole time to keep Kakashi-sensei stable, so I'm going to need someone to lead all of us to Tazuna's. Someone I can trust not to let either of the sculptures crash. I trust _you _to get us all there safely." I grinned warmly at his shocked face. "Think you can do that for me, Naruto?"

Without hesitation, he bolted over to the bird and jumped on, wrapping his arms around it's neck. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go!" He pointed forward as if to charge and I smiled.

"I'm glad I can count on you." Turning my attention to the less than happy other members of my team, I leaned down to whisper secretly. "Don't worry, guys, I'll be the main controller of both my sculptures. Naruto will only have a small amount of steering power, but not enough to pull us off the path."

Sakura sighed in relief. "You scared me! I thought you were actually going to let him drive!" She look to Kakashi's only visible part from her position, his silver hair, and frowned. "I hope sensei, wakes up soon."

I reassured her with a pat on the head. "Don't worry, Sakura. I'll take good care of him."

She grinned happily to me. "Good." Twiddling her fingers, she smiled brightly. "I guess we'll talk again at Mr. Tazuna's." She stood on her tiptoes and I leaned down so she could whisper something to me. "And we'll talk about all kinds of things so we can get to know each other more!"

She sat back on her heels and I nodded. "That'd be nice, Sakura." I waved down to her. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"Okay!" She smiled up to Sasuke shyly, a small blush lining her face. "See ya soon, Sasuke."

"Hn."

She let out a bummed sigh as she was rejected again and dragged herself over to the enthusiastic blonde who was nearly going crazy in excitement. Tazuna was left standing at the same spot, anxiety in his eyes.

"Do these…things know how to reach my place?" I nodded and he returned the gesture. "Umm, good. I'll speak with you after we land then, Hikari. I…have a lot to say."

Tipping his large hat, he strode over to the other group and climbed on behind Sakura, never looking back to me, probably because Sasuke was glaring at him. Adjusting my positioned slightly, I held down Kakashi's upper body and asked Sasuke to hold down his legs for a moment.

"So, what do these things do exactly?" He looked to me, dark eyes curious and I looked back, my own irises dancing in amusement. "They look like birds." A thought came to him and I smiled, realizing he'd guessed correctly. "But, how? That's not possible."

"Nothing's impossible, Sasuke." His eyes widened when I formed a familiar hand seal and he fastened himself and Kakashi to the bird, holding on for dear life. "Naruto!" He looked over, another salute on his forehead and I rolled my eyes. "Hold on tight! I've never done this part before!"

"_Never_?!" Sasuke's quiet exclamation of shock didn't go unnoticed and I smirked. "Are you trying to get us killed, loser?!"

"Of course not." My grip on Kakashi tightened as well as the other Genin and Tazuna's grip fastened on each other. "I'm just trying out something new."

Everyone braced themselves for a fast charge through the wooded area, all eyes forward except for my best friend's and mine. Brown eyes narrowed and obsidian ones widened in disbelief as I said the word that startled every person on the sculptures.

"FLY!"

But the take off itself, was what made them scream.


	26. Chapter 26: Flying Scenes

Author's Note

Alright. I apologize for such a late update. I've had a lot of things happen lately.

Anyway, this chapter is in 3rd person POV. Review and give me as much critisism as humanly possible. I need to know what version is the most appealing to read.

Without further delay, I hope you enjoy this chapter. ^_^

Uchihalover12

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Chapter 26: Flying Scenes

"AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!"

Hikari let out an amused laugh, smile bright and eyes dancing at the sight. Naruto clutched the neck of the bird roughly, his face turning a darker shade from the air he was losing thanks to Sakura's deadly grip. Tazuna's eyes went wide and one hand wrapped securely around the young girl while the other held his large hat to his head.

Sasuke's eyes were clenched shut, teeth grinding against each other and hands constricting into tight fists. Looking down, Hikari firmly placed her hands onto the pale ones, gripping them tightly until the bird evened out in the sky.

The Uchiha didn't realize she had held on until she let go moments later. He scoffed silently and pulled back. He didn't need to be comforted like a child.

Flying level at the two hundred foot height, Hikari was the first to straighten, after quickly scanning Kakashi for major abrasions,…and was the only one smiling.

"Hey, Naruto!" The short orange clad ninja cracked open an eye and looked back to her nervously. "We're going to be flying at this level for a few hours. It's safe to sit up and look around if you want. Just keep a grip on the bird's neck and you'll all be fine."

Shakily, the pink-haired kunoichi opened both emerald colored irises. Upon opening, they widened in amazement. Sparkling lakes glittered in the early evening light. Lush green forests and purple mountains shown on the horizon and the young girl couldn't help but smile.

"Wow…Look how beautiful it is, guys."

Almost like a switch, Sakura's voice made Naruto less hesitant and he opened up those bright blue orbs. Instantly, his eyes grew the size of dinner plates and he sat up abruptly, earning a surprised gasp from Sakura and Tazuna. Letting go with one hand, he pointed out every bit of the landscape.

"THIS IS SO COOL!" Turning to the light haired kunoichi, he smiled brightly. "Look at that Sakura! It's-."

A fist connected with his skull and a vein formed on the pretty girl's head. "Don't scare me like that, Naruto! I don't want to fall off!"

Rubbing his head lightly, Naruto let out a few grumbles. Hikari laughed and flashed him a warm smile. "Naruto. You take the lead with Tazuna." He nodded, still rubbing his head. "We'll follow fifty yards back, just in case."

Eyes furrowing, he tilted his head. "In case of what?"

"Well…just in case one of us gets ambushed from below." Blue, green, and dark eyes widened and the young girl looked at the others seriously. "If that happens, do **not** try to stop the bird, Naruto. Keep flying and safely take the client home. But, if the situation is vice-versa, we'll stop to give you a hand."

"WHAT?! WE WOULDN'T JUST LEAVE YOU, HIKARI!" Naruto looked from the girl to his rival and down to his sensei franticly. Hikari sighed and raised a finger to his bird, only further adding to his paranoia.

"Sorry, Naruto. But you don't have a choice in the matter." Smiling innocently, she took in all three faces. Shocked, confused, and bewildered. "Because I'm making it an order my friend."

"Wait! Hi-."

"Enjoy the scenery, team."

With the flick of a finger, Naruto's bird took off ahead, one frantic blonde yelling back in protest until he couldn't be heard clearly anymore.

Sighing, Hikari looked to her good friend. Dark eyes glistening, the Uchiha stared back indifferently. A nod and she knew he agreed with her order. She smiled and placed her hands gently onto crossed legs, taking in the beautiful view of the Wave Country. This was one of the few places that she had never flown over.

"…This isn't your first time…flying… is it?"

"Huh?" Looking back to Sasuke, she tilted her head as if she had a question.

A smirk. "It's obvious. Don't try and lie to me."

Smiling sheepishly, she rubbed the back of her neck. "You're right, of course. I've flown dozens of times with one of my best friends. …But this is the first time I've gone solo, if you want to call it that."

Sasuke shifted to prop one leg up, his arm coming to drape across it. He nodded once, a grimace coming to his face at the words "one of my best friends." That wasn't right. She couldn't have more than one _best _friend.

He should be the only one.

"…You've known each other for a while then?"

Hikari shook her head. "Actually, I've only known him…almost two years? Yeah, around two years." Smiling and laughing, she gave the Uchiha a look as if just realizing something. He returned the look with an arched brow. "I can still remember the first time we got in trouble. Ko -uh- Ko…iwa. Koiwa was so mad at us for destroying her kitchen."

The ebony-haired boy ran a hand through black tresses, look smug and Hikari could only expect such a comment.

"Did you make a bad impression on him too?"

Frowning, she playfully glared at him. "_Too_? I don't recall making a bad impression on you the first time we met!"

"Hn…It was at the Academy." Eyes averted to the open sky, the gentle breeze billowing around him. "…You took my seat and wouldn't move."

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that!" She laughed. "I guess you're right!"

Suddenly remembering something, her laughs dwindled down and her face flushed. Hikari moved to sit with her knees propped in front of her. Hugging them gently, she let her gaze travel down to Kakashi's peacefully sleeping face. Grinning, she gently smoothed back a few silver strands that had fallen in his face.

"And I remember what happened the day after that…" Cautiously gazing up, their eyes met and both ninja's cheeks lightened to a tint of pink.

Flashback

"_He-Hey, Sakura". Just the way that Naruto froze was a dead give-away that he liked the girl. Hikari peered to the side of Naruto and finally noticed the pink haired kunoichi. The girl looked at the blonde and gasped loudly._

"_Wh-Why are you sitting next to Sasuke!?" Pushing Naruto out of his chair –earning a startled gasp as he fell to the ground-, she came closer until she stood beside Hikari."You were sitting by him yesterday too! You better leave my Sasuke alone!" She waved her fist in front of the new student angrily and she in return was awarded with a small smile._

"_**Your**__ Sasuke?" Hikari cocked her head to the side with a look of puzzlement before turning and giving the Uchiha an evil, inconspicuous grin. The glare he shot back was nearly screaming: Don't. you. __**Dare.**_

_Nevertheless, it was ignored. _

"_Well, I'd hate to break up a happy couple so…" Grinning, she stood up and walked out of the aisle. "I guess you can sit here." As the pink haired girl rejoiced, Hikari looked down to the boy and smiled innocently, starting passed him. "I'm sure, you'll thank me later." _

_Clenching his fist, obsidian eyes glared at her harshly._

"_But Hikari." Naruto stood up quickly, eyes wide and frantic. "Where are you going to sit?" _

_Looking around the room, she spotted an empty seat next to a guy on the row above. Dark brown hair pulled up into a spiky ponytail and soft brown eyes drooped as he rested his chin against the desk. _

"_I think I'll sit next to that guy up there." Flashing another grin to her caring friend, she walked up to the next platform. Naruto mumbled a few profanities under his breath –mostly about how big of a jerk Sasuke was for making her move- and put his chin on the table._

_---_

_Suddenly, Naruto jumped onto the table directly in front of Sasuke, bent down to look him in the eyes, and glared at him sharply. Sasuke glared back and Sakura stood up._

"_Hey, Naruto! Get out of Sasuke's face!" Naruto ignored her and Hikari stood up from her seat quickly, ready to step in if things got worse. _

_And they did of course._

"_Sasuke kick his butt!" A few classmates pumped their fists in the air, eyes dancing in amusement. "Yeah!" _

_Almost everyone was yelling at the Uchiha to beat Naruto up, the girls screamed the loudest. The young kunoichi walked down to them franticly, eyes darting around, trying to calm the forming mob. She jumped onto the desk on Naruto's right side and lightly pulled his sleeve. _

"_Come on Naruto. Let's not get into a fight." He ignored her and didn't budge. She switched her tactics to pushing instead but it still didn't work. She sighed in irritation and narrowed her eyes._

"_I can take him Hikari!" Naruto exclaimed as he continued to glare Sasuke down. The ebony haired boy did the same._

"_I'm not saying you can't but I'd rather you not get into any more trouble." Leaning forward heavily, she finally pushed him hard enough to move him over. "Besides. You should wait for him to be alone first." He caught my drift but glared angrily at Sasuke one more time._

"_Hey!" A few of the crazy females raised their fists and pointed at the slightly older girl angrily."No one can beat Sasuke! Especially not that loser Naruto." _

_Rolling her eyes, she turned back to scold the Uchiha as well when she caught his face. He looked furious, eyes narrowing and grimace setting in._

_Thawing herself out, she gave him a more innocent look. "I've never seen you fight so I really can't bet on anyone, right?" _

_Sasuke's glare only sharpened and a fight would break out soon if she didn't stop messing around. Taking a step back, she planned to jump off the desk, only to be stopped by an angry girl. _

"_Beat her up instead!" The fan-girls screamed. "Wait! Not her!" Some of the guys yelled back in disapproval. Hikari cocked her head to the side when some of the guys spoke up, wondering how she had a formed "fan club" in a day. _

_A guy in the row right behind her turned around quickly, giving her no time at all to move. "Uchiha's gonna beat up a girl!" He hit her in the back and she fell forward with wide eyes, smashing her lips against the Uchiha's._

_Everyone around them gasped as they accidently kissed. Hikari's already widened eyes widened even more so when she stared into equally stunned onyx eyes. She was really trying not to feel his mouth on hers, but the smooth, soft lips didn't make it easy. When she didn't pull back right away, she was harshly shoved off by the boy, falling back onto the table with a thud. _

_She just laid there, staring at the ceiling in shock. What had just happened? _

_Sasuke wiped his mouth and tongue on a bandaged sleeve thoroughly, eyes trained on the paralyzed girl on the desk._

_He was going to kill her…if the annoying females didn't first._

_After a few moments –and many profanities that were thrown out- Hikari sat up and Sasuke gave her another sharp glare. But for once, it was nothing compared to the females' heated looks. The sound of cracking knuckles filled the air and she mentally swore. Smiling and chuckling disarmingly, she cautiously stepped down from the desk and backtracked up the stairs. _

_Closely followed by the murder lusting girls._

End Flashback

"That…was all your fault." Brown eyes widened and she looked to the boy incredulously. He smirked back. "If you would have just stayed out of the wa-."

"Excuse me, Sasuke!" She leaned forward, clearly amused with her legs crossing. "If I would have stayed out of it, you're first kiss might have been with a boy!" Her eyes crinkled in delight, much like Kakashi's usual look, when his face took on a sickening shade of green. "At least your first kiss wasn't with one of those annoying females in class."

Gazing into the misty sky, the Uchiha let out a short breath. "Better you than one of them any day." His voice was barely a mumble.

"What?"

Almost panicking, he snapped back to his friend. Hikari's head tilted to the side in confusion, not hearing what he'd said. Sasuke almost sighed in relief.

_She didn't hear me…Good._

"Hn…did I take yours?"

Sadness immediately flooded her eyes and she looked back down. Sharp, tightening feelings stabbing painfully in her chest, the memory of her first kiss returning. Such soft lips, alluring movement…even now…no matter how much she wanted to deny it, she wanted more of that delicious taste.

"…No."

His face didn't change.

Internally, Sasuke was _seething_.

If she was seeing things clearly, Hikari would say that the boy's face had turned sinister after that one simple word. Pushing away the flash of anger, he leaned forward slightly, hovering over Kakashi in the process.

"Who was it? How old were you?"

Hikari blushed brilliantly, moving to avoid his penetrating stare. Romance was not a topic she wanted to discuss with a male, especially the male that happened to be the brother of her ex-lover.

_What am I supposed to say? "Oh, yeah. My first kiss was with your brother, Itachi and I was ten years old. Now that you know that information, you can rightly assume that I am the Hikari of your past." …That'll work. _

She forced her eyes not to roll at the sarcastic agreement. A change of subject was needed. Quickly.

A glimpse of crimson on her friend's navy blue shirt caught her eye. Almost gasping, she took that as a good enough reason to change topics. Reaching over, she clasped his left arm, startling him slightly, and tugged gently, getting a better look at the wound on his side.

It's length was close to six inches, but it's depth wasn't much. The crimson liquid still leaked through it and she grimaced, giving the boy a pointed stare. He returned it blankly.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He shook off her wrist, moving back from her, eyes glaring. "I'm fine. Take care of yourself."

Eyes narrowing, she leaned in. _Oh, no you don't Uchiha! You're not going to go back in that shell again! Not with me here._

A small, innocent smile. An angered frown.

"Well…" She moved to a crouching position, perfectly keeping her balance and easily stepped over their sensei's peacefully sleeping figure to sit on the boy's left. He gave her a hard stare that she easily ignored it. "I can't just sit here while you bleed to death. Go on." She gestured to his blue garment. "Lift up your shirt so I can tend to it properly."

Glaring once sharply, he obliged, immediately avoiding her eyes afterward. Hikari furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Why was he so angry with her? Shrugging it off, she studied the cut carefully.

_He's probably just irritated because I changed topics._

It might not have been huge, but it was still pretty bad. Small pieces of rock and dirt sunk into the abrasion and the edges were turning a sickening yellowish color. It was infected, but not enough so for major concern. Just healing the wound now would lock in all the infectious gunk so old fashioned style was the best path. Three bottles, a cleaning gauze, and a roll of bandages soon appeared at her side.

She dumped a small red pill into her hand before closing and pocketing one of the tiny containers. She held it to his lips.

"Swallow this. It's a blood tablet. You've lost a good amount today."

He allowed her to place it in his mouth then swallowed. It tasted horrible. His fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt and he swiftly removed the whole thing, not wanting to hold it up for that long. Hikari looked him over carefully, a fine blush coming to her cheeks. Sasuke tried to ignore her, knowing that his friend was only checking for more injuries. Nothing more.

A large, purple and black bruise was already forming below his rib cage. Zabuza had hit him hard, almost as hard as the punch he gave to her.

She allowed her fingers to lightly brush over the coloring skin, an angered look on her face. _That man…is going to die. I'm sorry Haku, but he hurt a person precious to me this badly. I can't let him get away with it._

But Hikari was still confused. She didn't understand one thing.

Why had Sasuke taken that hit for her?

She would have taken the blow for him, but she wasn't nearly as important to him and he was to her. So it didn't make sense. Could she actually be important to the Uchiha? Would he openly admit that he considered her a friend? A _good _friend?

She desperately hoped so. And now was the perfect time to ask. He couldn't just run off. There was no excuse for him to leave the question out in the open. He would have to answer.

_I just hope it's the answer I want._

"Sasuke…will you promise me that you'll answer my question honestly?"

The Uchiha gave her a skeptical look, wondering what had made her so…sullen suddenly. Nonetheless, he nodded.

A small smile graced her lips. "Thank you." He waited for her to continue and she did after a minute. "Sasuke…what do you consider us?"

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Losing courage, she silently sulked back. "I-I mean-uh-forget it. Never mind. It was a dumb question anyway. Sorry."

"…I consider us to be friends...even good friends." She looked up to him in slight shock. He stared back indifferently, arching an eyebrow. "What? Were you asking something else?"

She shook her head swiftly, nearly tearing up. Finally. He had finally said what she wanted to hear all this time. He'd finally said it!

Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around his waist, making him stiffen. She leaned her head against his bare chest, tightening her grip only slightly, making sure to watch his wounds. His skin was so smooth and she could feel his muscles. She would have blushed a million shades of red if she wasn't so overjoyed.

"No, Sasuke. That's the answer I was looking for."

Hesitantly, his arms came around her middle back, barely touching her. The hug was more awkward than anything else and they parted soon after. Hikari smiled shyly, a pretty blush coming to her face. Sasuke had looked elsewhere, trying to hide his own.

"Okay then." She cleared her throat awkwardly and the Uchiha turned back to her slowly, cool look back in place. "Turn so I can heal your side."

He did so cautiously, not wanting to fall off the bird. A one hundred foot drop didn't sound too appealing.

"Hold still. I have to get these rocks out first. A pair of tweezers made it's way into her hand and she gently grabbed Sasuke's upper arm to balance herself when she leaned forward. The position wasn't in the slightest comfortable…for either Genin and she sat back up. "…On second thought, this would be easier if you laid down."

He complied reluctantly, a frown on his face, but he didn't even attempt to argue with her. He had learned in the past that whenever Hikari wanted to heal you, you were healed. By force if necessary.

Sasuke smirked at the recent memory, his right cheek finally resting upon the clay bird's back. _Naruto should have just left those birds alone. _

Carefully, Hikari removed the rocks from the open wound, grimacing whenever the boy under her would flinch, even if only slightly. She hated to cause him pain, but this was the only way to make him better. After finishing, she placed the tweezers in a plastic bag to wash later and stuffed it in her sack. Holding up the black bottle, she held it over the wound, cap off.

The Uchiha kept his gaze focused on the surrounding forests, trying to block out the painful pokes of the metal. When everything stopped, he relaxed…only to freeze up once more when a hand gripped his hip firmly, locking it in place.

He nearly gasped at the cold touch, blood rising in his cheeks. Instinctively, his hand locked around the wrist in a bone-crushing grip. His eyes were trained ahead, but his attention was solely focused on the girl's movements.

"What…are you doing?"

Grimacing, Hikari tilted the bottle a little more, the liquid almost pouring out. "Holding you still. This is going to sting…_a lot_."

"Hn…I'll be fine. You can let go." _Let go, _now. _**Please**__. _

She shook her head, brown eyes blinking in sympathy. She knew all too well what this was going to feel like, especially with a wound that large and in that area.

It was going to be _painful. _

"Just in case, then. Stay still."

The bottle was tipped and the clear cleaning liquid slowly dripped into the wound, sizzling on impact. Flinching, Sasuke grasped the clay bird harshly with one hand, the other balling into a fist at his side. He hissed shortly. This didn't sting, it _burned. _

White bubbles appeared on impact all around and inside the wound, effectively cleaning it out. Picking up the cleaning rag, she gently dabbed the area, not noticing the reflex of her other hand.

Releasing the boy's hip, her left hand slid carefully over smooth skin to reach the edge of the wound.

He shivered at the contact. Her hands were _cold_.

One finger traced around it, pressing in certain areas, checking for more infection. When she found a hard place, she lifted the bottle once again and held him still.

"A few more times, okay? I'll be done soon."

He nodded and braced himself for the painful chemical, not even hissing this time when it sizzled in the tender area. Hikari repeated the process a few more times and Sasuke remained silent, thinking about the recent battles with the Mist Ninja.

One very distinct image came to mind, nearly making him shudder.

It felt like everything was in slow motion. Wide, terrified brown eyes locked with his own. The sight of her body being ripped to pieces, leaving only traces of blood on the spot, made his anger go into hyper drive. She'd pulled off the trick masterfully, everything perfect right down to the acting.

Her eyes…pleading him to save her, tearing his heart to pieces. He wasn't able to do a thing.

Clenching his fist, his eyes narrowed on the horizon. The more judgmental and often right part of the Uchiha's mind picked up when multiple thoughts, theories, and accusations came up at once.

_How did she do that? We saw her-…not even Kakashi believed that she survived. There was nothing, not a trace. It doesn't add up. What she did…I doubt Kakashi could pull off that easily…She hardly had a scratch on her before our battle with Zabuza. There's no chance that she could have done that at her level. But, …just what is her level?_

The image of the masked nin flashed by. The sight of her warm look when he noticed her made Sasuke's temper rise. The masked ninja was already hated.

More speculations rose.

_Did she have help somehow? But who? That Mist Ninja? …How does she even know him? They…seemed like friends…_ Blood boiling, he remembered what the boy had called his best friend. _He called her Tenshi. _**My **_Tenshi. __**My**__ Angel. Why didn't she ever mention him before? He's obviously important. …But, so are many other people… How much do I really know about Hikari?_

**Hikari**. That name. It still sent shivers through him. He could still remember that first day, the first time he heard it at the Academy.

Flashback

_The overly cheerful, auburn haired teacher sauntered down the steps, taking in the vision of the children finally dispersing to their desks. Sasuke stared ahead, not meeting the gaze of his teacher. He was already in a foul mood. The normal, 'Good morning, Sasuke.' routine wasn't going to make anything better. The girl beside him merely smiled when Iruka's eyes met her own._

"_Alright students" Everyone immediately hushed, excitement building in each person. "As you all know, today we will be taking the graduation exam but before that, I would like to introduce you to a new student." Iruka turned to the class when he reached the central platform at the end of the steps, his arms crossing over his chest loosely as he stood. "Please stand Hikari."_

_A sharp pain jolted in the Uchiha and he turned to look for said student sharply. _That name… who-?

_The annoying female beside him stood, earning a pointed glare. _**That girl? **…of course. **Her **name was given to someone like this.

_She was nervous when she stood, every one in the room could see that, but what surprised most was the instant mask of confidence that washed over her. Her face nearly morphed into comfort and it startled the boy sitting beside her. It was almost as if she had had practice with this sort of thing._

"_This is Hikari Phoenix," Iruka gestured towards her, expression warm. "Can you please tell us your age and home village?" _

"_I'm around 14 years old. I don't know my exact age for a certain reason and I don't have a home village. I've never stayed in one village long enough to call it home."_

_She sat down fluidly, eyes closing after she gazed around. A small flush of pink spread over her cheeks at all the different looks she was receiving._

_Sasuke's eyes shifted down to his desk, eyebrows furrowed in frustration._

Hikari's dead. Itachi told me he killed her, told me that I needed to get stronger if I ever wanted to avenge her. …But this girl… _His eyes trailed over to the young teenager suspiciously. _Has some similar qualities…Is it possible…_Eyes softened momentarily before sharpening. _Dang it, Uchiha! Stop trying to deny that Hikari's gone! She's **dead. **She's never coming back. Denial won't make this any less painful. Get over her!

_Hikari's gaze turned to the suspicious look Sasuke was giving her, head tilting in a question. Without a word, the Uchiha turned forward, chin resting on his hands. Hikari merely stared at him before doing the same._

What did I do?

End Flashback

Why did the girl have to have _that _name? Out of any name, why did she have to take _hers_?

Why _hers_? His first real friend. His first "love", …the girl his brother had taken away from him.

The girl Itachi had **murdered** along with his family.

The feeling of her cool fingers tracing his skin and the softness of the cloth snapped him back to reality. His mood had gone sour long ago amidst his thoughts and his decision at that moment was made.

They were going to talk about everything. _**Now.**_

"Sit up so I can wrap it." Her short request was carried out without a word. He sat up and took the bandages from the girl, not even glancing in her direction.

Hikari stared at him in confusion, reaching to take the bandages back. "Sasuke, I said I'd wrap your injury." Her fingers brushed the fabric. "It's not a problem. Really. I'd be happy t-."

"Hikari."

She was silent. His voice was piercing and his dark eyes more serious than she had ever seen. She was almost scared of what he was going to say.

"Before, you asked if we were good friends. I answered honestly, now I want you to promise me that you'll answer my question with the same honesty."

Eyes widening, Hikari bowed her head, closing those same brown irises. What would he ask? What could she say? She had a bad feeling and it was tearing her apart.

It was almost as if she knew his question would be difficult to answer. However, that didn't stop her answer, didn't stop the two words that held her for life.

"I promise."

She looked to the boy sitting merely inches from her, looked right into his beautiful onyx eyes without regret. They were sharp, strict, but deep down inside him, he was begging her to say what he wanted. His questions were narrowed down and he finally picked the one most prominent in his mind. He just needed her to answer this one question. Her answer, would determine his next theory.

Her heart was racing. It felt like a weak dam was the only thing keeping the flood of emotions back. What was his question? What would he ask? When-?

"Hikari."

A short pause. This was it.

"When was the last time you met with my brother, Itachi Uchiha?"

And the dam holding back all those feelings was shattered.


	27. Chapter 27: The End of the Beginning

Chapter 27: The End of the Beginning

Her breath caught in her throat and it took all her willpower to prevent gaping at him.

_What? Is he serious? H-How did he- and this quickly. He's already suspicious of something. But asking about Itachi? How-_

Eyebrows furrowing, she looked at Sasuke skeptically, taking in how his serious aura seemed to resonate.

"Traveling around so much…I've heard a lot about him, Sasuke. More so than most. But, how do you know that I've _met_ him at all?"

_Think fast, Hikari. What can you use? Look around, take clues, morph them into something. _

Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously and he slowly moved over to her. For every inch he moved forward, she sidled back. Finally, she could no longer move. Her hands braced back against the edge of the bird, fingers brushing air.

Her eyes widened when he _didn't_ stop.

His fingers locked through her own, holding them in place and closing in. There was scarcely a foot between them when he finally stopped, even with Hikari reeling back. She was almost hanging over the edge, the boy just above. He hovered over her.

Her heart sped up in anxiety. She felt her skin burn. His dark, fiery eyes bored down, right into her own, the thin frown on his face darkening. Soft, dark bangs fell over his cheeks, framing the serious, handsome face. He was too close. She was having a hard time controlling her breathing. It was a strange, chocking feeling. Why did it hurt so much when he was so close? It felt like she was being suffocated.

A soft lock ran across her cheek and warm breath fanned over her ear. A shiver racked her body and she was surprised when she didn't feel his smirk, didn't hear an arrogant remark.

No.

He was far too severe and determined to show anything else.

"Do you know any other Uchihas?" He almost sounded like he was mocking her. "I looked at your bracelet."

He nearly smirked. What kind of question was that? It was only him and his brother. There were no more Uchihas. None. They were _all _gone.

Brown eyes widened out of Sasuke's sight. _Shoot. _

His fingers tightened fiercely. "Why do you have the Sharingan symbol as a charm? I'm the only person besides Itachi who can hold that symbol. You've never taken it off so it's not a recently added part. It can't be mine. Tell me how you know that man, Hikari. _Now._"

She would be lying if she said she wasn't scared at that moment. He was acting completely different from the boy she was speaking to moments before. His voice was so low, so menacing.

He sounded so much like Itachi.

What had she said to make him react with such hostility? What did she trigger to make him ask about her former lover? Besides the clue on her bracelet, what other evidence did Sasuke have? What was he looking for in her answers? He wouldn't ask anything if he didn't already have a theory.

She nearly gaped. _Does he think that I'm…Hikari? The old Hikari, from four years ago? But a week ago, on the roof. He told me that he lost his best friend, that she was _murdered. _He thinks that Itachi killed me. But that doesn't make any sense now, not with the questions he's asking. He's having second thoughts about something. About what? Did I really leave so many clues about who I really am?_

She had. They both knew it.

…

(Author's Help: Sorry. I don't usually break up a story like this. But this next part will be a confusing if I don't explain how to read it.

_Italicized sentences mean that the event happened within the last two months that Hikari's been in Konoha._

**Bold sentences mean that the event happened four to six years ago when she first came to Konoha. **

Anything that is not bolded or italicized, is a thought that either Sasuke or Hikari was having at that time.

This: ******, means that all Hikari can remember is static. (For Sasuke, the word will appear in his head) This will only happen when one word is being said. You'll learn later why all Hikari can hear is static when that word is spoken.

Another thing, if you hadn't noticed, both Hikari and Sasuke are thinking of these events. Both people are seeing them in their heads, but of course, Sasuke doesn't know that she's thinking what she's thinking. Confusing…yes. If you have any questions about anything, please, let me know and I'll most likely answer them. Again, I'm _trying_ to ward off confusion. Hope you enjoy.)

…

_She quickly removed his hand from her shoulder in defiance. The kid stared down at her in irritation. _

"_Can't you sit somewhere else?"_

_She was not in the mood to mess with some little punk. She already had a lot on her mind and this boy was not going to make her even more flustered. She turned forward, but kept her eyes on the ebony-haired boy. _

"_Just sit there." She pointed to the spot beside her and he glared at the blonde hatefully. Not only his looks, but his hateful glower reminded her of Itachi. _

_He crossed his arms over his chest and sat down in said seat with a grimace._

"_Stubborn girl." _

"**You can have this back after training." She was definitely amused and nearly smirked when Sasuke's, wide, startled eyes locked on the toy in her hand. Placing it in her bag, she was almost thrown off balance when Sasuke jumped at her.**

"**Give it back Hikari-sensei!" He exclaimed as he tried to reach for it. She cruelly held the bag above her head, leaving the boy without a chance.**

"**Not a chance." She smiled in victory as Sasuke crossed his small arms over his chest and pouted. His dark eyebrows furrowed in irritation and he turned his back to the girl.**

"**Stubborn girl." **Geeze. She's worse than Itachi sometimes. I was only playing for a second!

**She laughed at his statement and messed up his hair lightly, almost caressing his head. He couldn't keep the smile off his face and he leaned into the warm touch. Temporarily losing concentration, he immediately went back to acting frustrated and Hikari merely giggled.**

"**Hey, I'll give you back the little toy after training, alright?" **

**He still didn't turn around and she thought up an idea quickly. Sighing, she turned around and hefted her backpack over her shoulder.**

"**Sigh…Guess I'll be the only one getting ice cream today. Wonder what kind? Probably **_**vanilla.**_**" **Just one more little push.

**Smirking, she watched the young boy stiffen at his one weakness. Vanilla ice cream. She turned back in the opposite direction as soon as the boy turned to face her. She shrugged. **

"**Ah, well…Guess I can always ask Itachi and ****** to come." **(remember, Sasuke knows the blank word all the times it's used)

**His will power was completely demolished at that idea and he quickly ran up to her, tugging on her sleeve. **

"**Okay, okay! I'll play with it later! Sheesh." Big, wet, wide, puppy-dog eyes stared right up to her, begging with such force that she couldn't even keep a fake front up anymore. "But can we go get ice cream after training? **_**Please**_**?" **

**Smiling, she gently moved dark bangs from his face with only the tips her fingers. He almost blushed when his forehead received a chaste kiss. His eyes immediately avoided contact with hers and he scuffed the toe of his sandal against the ground. She merely smiled and set her backpack back on the ground. **

"**Sounds like a plan. Now-." She took a simple Taijutsu battle stance. "Let's work on your reflexes, 'k Sasuke?"**

**Nodding, he took a similar stance, blush slowly fading. "'k, sensei. I'm ready."**

…

"_I'd appreciate it if you didn't use my food for a stupid trick." His voice was serious as he looked to her. She huffed out a breath and rolled her eyes. Remembering that she had to obey his commands, she walked back to the counter to retrieve the bacon and eggs along with the syrup and butter. _

You used to like that trick when you were eight.

…

"**Morning, Hikari." **

**The little boy rubbed tired eyes, back hunching partially in his exhaustion. Shuffling his feet, he moved to lean against the doorframe, almost tripping if the counter hadn't been beside it. She stifled a giggle. **

"**Where's mother?" He gazed around the room through drooping eyes."Where's **_**everyone**_**? I thought you, big brother, and ******* were going out today?"**

"**Well, that was the plan, but you know *******. He just can't stay in one place. I think he and Itachi ran off to the store to pick up some cleaning supplies. They'll walk you to school still, you'll just have to wait a few extra minutes. And your mother and father went to the lakefront. Something about wanting to meet up with a few other people about Uchiha affairs."**

**Shrugging, Sasuke yawned widely, a cute look coming to his face. "'K. But why are you fixing breakfast? I can just grab some fruit or some of last night's dinner." **

**Grinning, she scrambled the eggs. "You need to have a **_**good **_**breakfast to get that mind of yours ready for another big day at the Academy. You don't want to lose your place as top student, right? Besides, I know you, Sasuke. All the food you're interested in from last night is that cherry cheese cake."**

**Blinking once, the young Uchiha didn't even attempt to defend himself, knowing she was right on the dot. However, he didn't remember showing her his report card.**

"**Also, I wanted to try something out. I heard someone in town mention that putting cheese in scrambled eggs makes them taste awesome. I know. It sounds gross. But I'd still like to try it."**

**More awake, he started over to the stove. The top of his head barely reached her lower chest and he had to stand on the tips of his toes to see completely over the counter. He hungrily stared at the yummy food. Bacon, eggs, and soon to be made pancakes. He hadn't had this nice of a breakfast in weeks.**

"**How'd you know about that? I never showed you my report card."**

**After transferring the cheesy eggs to a platter, she moved a stray hair away from his face. "Well, Sasuke. I expected nothing less from my all-star student. I knew you'd do great. Plus-." She leaned down to his eyes level, grinning broadly. "That's all Itachi could talk about that day."**

**His eyes widened and now he was completely awake. "Really, Hikari?" His face beamed in happiness when she nodded, his smile radiant. "Big brother was proud of me?!" **

"**He sure was." She giggled when he got a far off look in his eyes, most likely dreaming of his brother being happy for him. "He talked more than ******* and that my friend, is an impressive feat for any one, especially that socially denied brother of yours. You know, I'm really proud of you too."**

**He gazed up to her as she straightened into a standing position once again. She poured some batter into the pan. Enough to make five good-sized pancakes. **

"**And to show you just how proud I am, I'm going to let you steal that last piece of cake from the fridge. As ******* always says, 'sweets in the morning make your mind get going'." They both laughed. "Oh, and don't worry, I'll cover for you."**

**Jumping up in excitement, he let out a happy shout and before she knew it, thin arms were wrapped around her waist, soft hair burrowing into her side. **

"**You're the best, Hikari! Thanks!" **Mother never lets me have sweets in the morning! This is so cool!

**When he pulled back, he immediately went to reach for a piece of bacon. He yelped when she swatted his hand away with a spatula lightly. Confused, he looked up to her. She was laughing down to him. **

"**Hey, little guy. I may be "the best", but that doesn't mean you can have it all now." She twirled the spatula between her fingers and signaled to the table a few feet away. "Have a seat, 'k? It'll all be ready soon. Promise."**

**Sasuke could only smile and roll his eyes, but he obeyed without complaint. His eyes were still trained on the girl and she grinned in anticipation. She'd been wanting to try something out for a while, well, ever since she learned to make pancakes that is.**

"**Hey, Sasuke? Wanna see a trick?"**

"**A trick?" He tilted his head to the side, eyebrows furrowing adorably. "Like Genjutsu?"**

"**No. A simple-well, not simple- but a trick that a **_**normal**_** human could pull off with practice." **

I wonder if I can even do this. It looked easy enough when that chef did it.

**Not really sure what his friend was planning, he went ahead with it. "Okay....um- Do I need to do anything?" **

**She shook her head, putting on a determined face and narrowing her eyes in concentration. "Just sit tight. Hopefully, this'll work."**

**Gripping the spatula tightly, she twirled flipped the pancakes over her head. All five of them. Sasuke let out a gasp and watched the fluffy brown circles spin in the air. Just as fast, Hikari grabbed a plate and spun around to catch each pancake. The small boy, and definitely Hikari, was amazed that each pancake landed on top of the one before it. **

**Finally, after another pancake, she set the plate right in front of Sasuke with a grin. He stared at it in amazement, eyes wide in disbelief. **

"**Woah…that was so cool!" He beamed down at the plate and Hikari dropped into a small bow. **

"**Why, thank you." **I can't believe I actually did it! And on my first try!

**The boy went to pour syrup over the fluffy circles goodness when something stopped him. He leaned closer to study the mass of food, mentally taking in the image.**

"**Uhh…weren't there five pancakes, Hikari?" **

**Tilting her head, Hikari looked at the stack. Sure enough, one was missing. "Huh. Wonder where it went." She shared a confused look with Sasuke, both looking around the kitchen for the pancake. They didn't spot it anywhere. "It couldn't have flown out to the living room."**

"**Well, I would have to say that you are definitely wrong about that one, princess." A boy's voice was laughing in the doorway and both kids quickly swiveled. **

**Two young teenagers stood in the entrance. One wore a happy, amused grin and the other was hidden under the last pancake. **

**Hikari and Sasuke gasped, the former paling considerably. **Uh-Oh. I'm in trouble./Hikari's in trouble now!

**Panicking, Hikari ran over to the boy and slowly peeled the food from his face, hoping that he wasn't mad at her.**

**Deep, black orbs burned into her own and she knew she was in for it. Small pieces of bread still stuck to his face and she laughed nervously when he didn't say a word. **

"_**Heey**_**, Itachi. I was just-um- making some breakfast for little Sasuke here. Uhh.." She quickly glanced over to the boy at his side, look nearly pleading. He only smirked and continued to muffle his laughter. "You want some? Uh…You can have this pancake." **

**She held up the brown circle and the Uchiha stared at it blankly. His eyes didn't change when he looked back down to his friend. **

"**No? Then-uh- how about you go clean up and I'll fix something else. 'K?" When he still didn't move from that spot, she grew even more nervous. **

**Finally, Sasuke came to her rescue, but not in the way anyone expected. He burst out laughing and all three of the older children turned to him in surprise. He clutched his sides and pointed to Itachi with a wide grin. **

"**You should see yourself, big brother! You look funny with pancake all over your face!"**

**Itachi cracked a small smile for his little brother. "Really? Do I look that funny, Sasuke?" He nodded furiously and the older Uchiha smirked. Hikari did not like that look.**

**Not at all. **

"**Then I'm sure Hikari would too, right?"**

**Turning to him abruptly, she opened her mouth to decline. But, it was too late. His hand came around her head to hold it still and he thrust the already destroyed pancake into her face. She gasped at the contact and made out the obnoxious laughs of both Sasuke and the boy at Itachi's side. **

**She just knew that both teenagers were smirking at her. **

**When Itachi let go, the pancake fell to the floor with a "splat". Eyes wide in shock, she stared up to her friend. He smirked back in amusement before striding right around her without a word. He opened the fridge and pulled out the last piece of cheesecake. **

"**You know, princess." The other, taller boy leaned down until he was eye level with her. His amused grin was radiant. "Your glare isn't all that threatening with bits of dough all over your face."**

**She narrowed her eyes at the boy. "Watch it, *******! Or I'll throw a pancake in **_**your **_**face next time!"**

**Eyes widening in fake disbelief, the boy held up two hands in defense. "Hey, hey, Hikari! I was only joking! I didn't know that you meant to hit Itachi! I thought it was an accident! I'll be nice so I can avoid your fluffy, pancake, launching wrath!"**

"**IT **_**WAS**_** AN ACCIDENT!" She got even more flustered when he ruffled her hair with a chuckle. **

"**Please, not even **_**your **_**aim is that terrible."**

**Hikari turned around and glared at Itachi in irritation. He stared back blankly and took a bite of the food. Sasuke pouted and reached out for the cake. **

"**Big brother! Hikari said I could have the last piece!" **

**Shaking his head, he looked down to his little sibling. "No, Sasuke. Dessert in the morning is not good for you. Here." He put an apple next to Sasuke's plate. "Eat this. **_**This, **_**is good for you."**

"**But, Itachi!" The little boy turned around and faced his brother with a pout. He pointed a finger to his friend in the doorway. "******* **_** and **_**Hikari said that sugar before school makes your mind move faster!" **

**Scoffing, Itachi took another bite. "What have I told you about listening to him, Sasuke? And Hikari has no idea what she's talking about either." **

"**Hey! I do too! I-!" **

"**Why would you listen to her anyway? She can't even take care of herself, let alone you, little brother." **

**Hikari froze, eyes bulging out at the boy. He still didn't look over, but traces of amusement were in his eyes. He was teasing her. **_**Again. **_**Laughing, Sasuke turned around and took a bite out of the apple, a teasing smile on his face also.**

"**Yeah, you're right, big brother. Look! She can't even clean her face! Even **_**I **_**can do that!"**

**Laughter burst from the boy at her side, nearly making him topple over. She gaped at Sasuke, feeling betrayed. She narrowed her eyes in the direction of the other Uchiha eating the cake. He finally acknowledged her with a victorious smile. **

**He'd won that round…**_**again.**_** The score was now 4-1. Itachi's lead…still.**

…

"_Cards?" Sasuke arched an eyebrow, wondering what they could play with them that would be of any interest._

"_Yeah. Have you ever played Poker?" _

"_Never. But I've watched people play it before."_

"**I'm not playing that game. It's pointless."**

"**C'mon, Itachi!" The same black haired boy pulled the younger teenager down to the table. "You're probably amazing at it!" **

**Glaring down at the cards, he quirked an eyebrow. Sasuke watched him intently. Hikari wouldn't let him play cards. Something about "gambling is not good for an eight year old" or something like that.**

**It always amazed the young boy, Hikari's bravery that is. She never seemed to be afraid of his older brother. Never afraid of anything.**

"**How so?" His gaze turned to the girl beside him. She grinned widely.**

**Things Sasuke would never even **_**dare**_** to do to Itachi, she did with ease. Like this for example. She gripped Itachi's cheeks as if she were his grandmother and moved them around to make him look ridiculous. Itachi glared down at her fiercely. **

"**Because you have a master poker face! There's no way you can lose!"**

…

_She let the little boy go. With a push, he stopped rolling, though Hikari continued. she fell off the twenty foot drop and crashed into the water below. The water was _cold. _She hadn't screamed, but she was still irritated._

_She resurfaced after a few minutes, hair sticking to her cheeks. She sucked in some air and flipped her head back to get the hair out of the way. She was kind of startled when she met the face of her sensei when she looked back forward. He stood against the cliff side with his arms crossed and stance composed. He looked at the young girl lazily but some concern showed in his expression._

_She gazed up to the edge of the cliff and saw a frantic looking Naruto with the little girl on his back. He looked nervous and worried. Leaning over the edge, he stared at her intently. _

_Sakura held her little boy in her arms and she looked shocked and frightened too. They must have been panicking or something. There wasn't really anything to worry about though. She wouldn't die from that kind of fall._

_Brown eyes caught the Uchiha's eye. He stared down at Hikari with no emotion visible but she could have sworn that she caught a glimpse of jealousy, but she could have misinterpreted it. Why would he be jealous? The girl hadn't done anything but fall off a cliff._

"**You idiot! What were you thinking! That drops huge! You could have been seriously hurt! Look at you! You're going to freeze!" **

**She pounded on his back again hard and Sasuke coughed loudly onto the dry grass. He was on his hands and knees in the deep snow and his drenched scarf laid on the ground beside him. The girl knelt beside him and was doing her best to clear his lungs of the cold liquid.**

**It was the middle of winter in Konoha and the water was freezing. They were both soaked to the bone and shivering like crazy. Hikari was already nearly panicking. There was no chance of her making it back to the complex before both of them caught hypothermia. **

**He shook his head furiously, hacking up more water when she hit him hard again. "I-I'm sorry! *cough!* I was trying to-*hard cough!*" **

"**I know exactly what you were trying to do and I'm not happy. You can't **_**step **_**onto the water without falling in! What made you think that you could just **_**jump **_**on it! And from all the way up here! I told you not to **_**ever **_**practice this unless I was with you! You're lucky that I was passing by! You could have drowned! What were you thinking, Sasuke?!"**

**His coughs were softer and she could have sworn she heard him sobbing. **

"**I-I was just trying to catch up with you and b-big brother. I thought I could do it." He turned to the girl with tears in his eyes and she sucked in a breath at the pure fear on his face. "I'm sorry, Hikari! I was just trying to be like big brother! I don't understand! He could do this at my age! Why can't I?!" **

**Her eyes softened. She understood. She shouldn't have yelled at him. He was only trying to get better, even if it was the wrong way to do things. Another shiver racked his body and she quickly pulled him into her embrace. **

**Standing up, she held him tightly, trying to warm him up. "Please, don't cry, Sasuke. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I understand what you're saying." Another shiver. Neither knew whether it was from the cold, or the fear of the deadly swim they'd both had. "I need to get you to a warm place before you get sick." **

**Of course she was putting it lightly. If she didn't find a warm place in the next ten minutes, both of them were as good as gone. The night's chilling -9**** temperature was inwardly harming them tremendously. **

**Her eyes scanned the area. The small park was empty at this time of night and none of the nearby stores would be open. She almost panicked. If they didn't get somewhere quickly, both of them could pass out from the cold and then-.**

**Small, blue-tinted fingers tightened in her coat and he coughed loudly. Hikari couldn't remember ever being so cold. It hurt to move. But what hurt her the most was the pain the little boy in her arms was going through. **

**That's when she realized it. There was no where they could go. She couldn't even **_**make **_**it to the nearest store. There was no other choice. **

**Quickly, she laid Sasuke on a nearby bench, clearing off the snow. If she was going to go down, then she was going to make sure that he survived. No matter what. **

**Stripping off her coat, she laid it over the boy. The jacket underneath soon followed and she was left only in a thin, long sleeved shirt. Shivering uncontrollably, she barely had the needed momentum to place her hands on the boys paling face. **

Please, let him be okay. Please.

**Closing her eyes, she brought forth what chakra she had left. The warmth of a low-grade fire jutsu was summoned to her palms, warming the child immediately. She felt herself trembling, felt her arms and legs go numb, her lips turning a light blue. She smiled when color returned to his cheeks and the coats around his body were also warming, almost completely dry now.**

If this is how I'm meant to go, then at least I saved someone.

**She made sure that the boy was completely warm and that he would stay that way for many hours to come. He would stay that way until help came. **

**Eyes finally closing, she let herself fall back, ready to let the white snow be her grave.**

**But, that's not what she fell into. Instead, a pair of strong, **_**warm **_**arms were wrapped around her. She hurt so bad. She wanted to sleep more than anything. She could barely crack her eyes open…but she did it. **

**A familiar, panicked face hovered over her. His mouth moved, but she couldn't hear him, couldn't feel him shake her, tell her not to go to sleep. But…she forced herself to say something.**

"**Please, ******…don't let Sasuke die. Take him home." His mouth moved again frantically and she merely grinned. "Thank you, ******…for everything." **

**Her eyes closed once again…the last thing she remembered were two more hands gripping her around the arms and lifting her easily. If she would have stayed awake a little longer, she would have seen the shocked look on the little boy's face when he woke up. Saw him stare at the girl now in his older brother's arms. She looked…**_**dead. **_**And he thought it was his fault. **

**Bright light pierced through her eyes. She thought she was dead. Where else would the light be so bright? But…something wasn't right. She heard crying. There was no more sorrow in heaven. Why would-?**

"**Th-This is all my fault. Please wake up Hikari. I'll do anything." **

_**Sa-Sasuke? You're all right? Thank, Kami. I do know what I'd do if-. **_

**But this didn't make sense. If Sasuke was with her…did that mean she failed? Was he dead too? **

…**No. That could only mean that she-.**

I'm alright! ****** did it! He saved me! I can't believe that knuckle head did it! He saved me!

"**I-I'll do all the chores and I-I won't ever complain a-and I'll never eat cheesecake for breakfast again and I'll get perfect grades in school a-and I'll practice really, really hard everyday. Please, Hikari." Fingers tightened around her own and something wet hit her hand. "Please, wake up." **

"**Sasuke…" Both children recognized the voice as Itachi's. "It's been two weeks…she's not going to wake up. Her whole immune system crashed when the cold overtook her body. All the warmth she had left, she gave to you. It's surprising that she's still…breathing. But, she's never going to open her eyes."**

"**What do **_**you**_** know?! **_**Huh?!**_**" **

**Saying she was startled would be an understatement. Hikari couldn't believe what she had just heard. Now she knew she was dreaming. Sasuke was yelling at his idol. He **_**never **_**did anything like that. The fierce anger in his voice was enough to make her cringe.**

"**She's going to get better, Itachi! She's going to wake up soon! You'll see!"**

"**Sasuke…she's not-."**

"**Yes she will! You don't know anything! She's going to be fine! I know it!"**

"**Sasuke-." Thinking better of arguing, the older Uchiha stepped out of the room. "I-I'll be in the waiting room if you want to talk." **

**That was the first and last time she ever heard Itachi Uchiha stutter.**

**Nodding once, he turned back to the girl laying on the hospital bed. "You'll wake up soon, Hikari. I know it. Even…even if big brother's lost hope. You still have me and ******. He brings in flowers for you everyday. You know, those red roses you like so much. We'll take care of you."**

**Her eyes stung so bad…but she knew she couldn't leave him like this. He was just a child. He had been waiting for her for two weeks.**

"**S-Sasuke." He gasped loudly, grip tightening tremendously. Blinking, she slowly pried her eyes open, only to close them at the fierce light. **

**Cautiously, she opened them again, locking eyes with him. His eyes began to water and he hugged her around the neck fiercely. She let him without complaint. She was too tired to do anything else.**

"**You're okay!" His voice shook, but he didn't care. His friend was alive! Everything was going to be alright! Turning abruptly, he faced the doorway with a huge smile. "ITACHI! ******!" **

**He immediately went back to cuddling into the girl and she stared at him in wonder. Her head was almost spinning. She hardly registered the little death grip and the movement of the two shinobi in the doorway didn't make it any better. She had to close her eyes again.**

**She heard two low gasps and shuffling footsteps before one of the two boys hugged her even more fiercely. Sasuke moved back to give them some space. She felt gentle strokes of her hair and soft, warm breath in her ear, but she couldn't hear him. She couldn't tell which boy was holding her. **

**Sasuke's little voice broke out in the void. **

"**S-See, big brother. I was right! She's okay!" **

**Something wet hit her cheek. And it wasn't her tear. The grip around her tightened and she tried to open her eyes again. All she saw was silky black hair and part of a sleeveless white shirt inches from her face. A small chaste kiss on her cheek assured her of who it was.**

**She smiled. "Thank you."**

**But she was soon asleep again. The three boys stared at her with newfound joy in their eyes. In a minute, they exchanged looks with each other, each wearing some sort of happy expression, even Itachi. He and Sasuke quietly left the room, the younger planning out every thank you in the book to use with Hikari. The other's face morphed back to it's normal look for the public. He told the receptionist about the girl before taking a seat beside his younger brother in the waiting room.**

…

"_It took me months to perfect noticing people just from their chakra presence and I am a very fast learner. You don't need to think of yourself as being a failure. It's difficult to master this skill, even for a Jounin."_

_He stared at her from a distance._ What'd she say? Difficult for a _Jounin_? What…?

…

"_Impossible? I think not."_

**They both stared up the tall tree trunk, both pondering the same thing.**

"**Big brother always says things like that, Hikari. Some things are impossible." **

"**Nothings impossible, Sasuke."**

…

_Sasuke twitched in anger before scoffing at the accusation. _

"_Hn. Dobe. I would never abuse a female or Hikari."_

_She nodded in agreement, knowing that he was serious. Snapping to realization, she turned to glare at the smug Uchiha. Like always, he wore his trademark smirk._

"**Hikari's not a girl, big brother! Look!" The little boy yanked the arm of the annoyed girl to his side. He compared his arm with hers. "Teacher said boy's muscles are bigger than girls! Her arms are bigger than mine!" He gasped loudly. "Does that mean I'm a dumb girl?!" **

**The amused look on Itachi's face was nothing compared to the infuriated one on Hikari's. His little brother obviously had not had the lesson about growth. He **_**would **_**get bigger than Hikari, but he wasn't yet. Unfortunately…he'd made the girl irritated. Not a good thing.**

"**Sasuke! What are you saying?! I am too a girl! And girl's aren't dumb! Who ever told you that?!" **

**Eyebrows furrowing, he pointed to his older brother sitting beside him. "Big brother did and he's always right."  
**

**Glaring eyes turned to the now standing boy that was trying to escape. Now that the anger was on him, he was not going to stay around.**

"**ITACHI UCHIHA! YOU GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!" **

**His eyes widened and he cursed under his breath when she ran after him. She was getting faster, nearly at his level. His training with her was really paying off. **

**But not at this moment. He just wanted the puny little girl from a year ago, then, maybe he'd have a chance of getting away from her wrath. He snapped back to reality when her fingers brushed his shoulder. **

**Picking up pace, they both moved around to the other side of the house, earning a bemused look from both Mikoto and Fugaku on the front porch. Sasuke was left on the back patio with a dumbfounded look on his face.** I don't get it. What are they arguing about now?

…

"_I promise to keep it a secret if you decide to skip out on Kakashi's orders."_

"**Go home, *******. I won't tell Itachi you left."**

…

"**Hikari, don't ever leave. Promise me.**

**Life was perfect here…why would she leave?**

"**I promise."**

"**I **_n_**e**_v_**e**_r_** b**_r_**e**_a_**k **_m_**y **_p_**r**_o_**m**_i_**s**_e_**s**_._** T**_h_**a**_t_**'**_s_** h**_o_**w **_I_** l**_i_**v**_e_** m**_y_** l**_i_**f**_e_**.**"

…

But what about now? What would she do? What _could _she do?

Lie.

Break her promise.

Like she always did. Always had to do it seemed...

And she hated herself for it.

"…You really want to know why I have that symbol on my bracelet?" She let out a short breath, heart rate picking up when she felt him nod in response. "…At first, it was for the bounty on his head…"

She felt him stiffen and his grip temporarily faltered. His fingers tightened once again and she continued.

"He did something to me. Something that I'll never forgive him for… He _ambushed _me. When I was twelve." Fake tears built up in her eyes. They weren't hard to make. All she had to do was think about something tragic. "H-He wanted something that Icatai had stolen from his party. A little red orb."

Grip never faltering, the Uchiha leaned back, looking straight into the girl's tearing eyes. At the sight of her pained look, he almost lost his concentration. Was this the first time he'd seen her cry? It hurt to watch and he wanted to make them stop, wanted to tell her he was sorry.

But he wouldn't do that. He was Sasuke Uchiha, the avenger, not a shoulder to cry on.

But the anger pulling inside him wasn't something to ignore. Why was she so stupid sometimes? What was she thinking when she decided to rob Itachi Uchiha? Was she _trying _to kill herself?

Seething in his protective nature over the older girl, he narrowed his eyes. She nearly flinched.

"Why would you even _think _about robbing him? Were you trying to get yourself killed?!"

Shaking her head furiously, she pushed back all traces of false sadness. "Of course not! Why would I want to die?! It was our mission to steal the orb! And we didn't know that Itachi Uchiha had it!"

Now he was confused and the sadness in his eyes was visible. The way she spoke of his brother…how could they have had any sort of relationship? The sound of his name…she sounded like she was spitting it out with venom.

"We were told a group of mercenaries had it. The Mizukage never mentioned anything about Itachi Uchiha being a part of that group. If we would have known, Icatai would never have let me tag along. There were two others with him against the two of us and three Jounin from Kiri. We barely made it out. I should be _dead._"

Sasuke cringed. For a second, he let rage take over his face. "_Dead_? He almost _killed _you?! How-?!"

Hikari couldn't hold the position she was in any longer. She would not be hovered over if they were going to argue. Pushing up, she forced the Uchiha into a sitting position across from her. His grip moved to tighten around her wrists, holding them between their bodies. Both sets of eyes glared fiercely into the others.

"No, Sasuke! He's the one who let me _live_. He's the only reason I'm _alive_!"

He froze, his angry face turning completely blank. That didn't make any sense. He wasn't a savior. Itachi Uchiha was a murderer. The face of his brother when he was thirteen flashed through Sasuke's thoughts. He was smiling that rare, beautiful smile that Sasuke had always wanted to be at the end of. Another image flashed by… one he never wanted to see again.

"How…how did he save you?" His voice was much calmer now, weak from the latest image.

Hikari's gaze softened. "He didn't let the others kill me." Their eyes never moved from each others. "It was only Icatai and I left. The Kiri shinobi were dead and I was next. Icatai was pinned to a rock with shuriken and I was completely helpless. I still remember that awful ninja bringing his sword above my head…but your brother stopped him."

She paused for a moment, watching the boy, trying to find out what he was thinking. His fingers were shaking and his eyes grew darker with every word.

"He told the man to let me go. He told him that killing a helpless child was unacceptable so long as he was in control. So they let me go. And he let Icatai live too after I begged him to spare him." More tears built up in her eyes at the memory. "He was my savior that day. _Our _savior. That's why he has a place on my bracelet, Sasuke. I'll never forget what he did for me that day. Neither will Icatai. Please, don't be angry with me. I meant to tell you, but I didn't know how to say it."

Dark eyes smoldered. He sat silent, taking in everything. _She was saved…by my brother. Why would he ever care about killing a child? He's already killed more than I can count! _

He didn't understand…He didn't believe her at all. She was lying to him. And after she'd promised to answer truthfully. She _had _to be lying.

Tears were building in her eyes. The memory of an event so similar to her story was running through her thoughts. She could still hear Deidara's frantic screams and the sound of flesh being ripped apart. She remembered the knife slicing towards her…and the cold voice of the person who'd barely arrived in time to help the two blonde shinobi. He'd saved them again. She'd lost count of how many times he'd done the same.

The question was pushing it's way up the Uchiha's throat. He had to ask it. This would prove him entirely correct, or utterly wrong.

"Hikari…" He took in a sharp breath before looking right into her eyes, searching for anything. "There was this saying that my best friend always used. She always said it any time we were making a bad decision. Can you finish this quote for me? '_A true friend never gets in your way….'_

She grinned, "'…unless you're going down.'"

The Uchiha grinned. He was on the right track. "That was what she always said…that's what you always say…that's also what I wrote on the inside of the necklace I gave Hikari when we were little." His eyes were fiercer. "You think that's only a coincidence?"

Her eyes widened in realization to his words. She knew exactly what he was thinking.

_He thinks I'm Hikari. _

"You…think I'm Hikari. Don't you?"

His grip tightened almost painfully and she held in her gasp. His eyes flashed fire and she cringed. He was through messing around. He was getting straight to the point.

"I _know _you are! Don't you see all the hints you've given me?! That time at survival training, the way you just know my favorite foods, the way you know everything about the Uchihas, the very way you act around me!"

That was how he _knew _it was her.

"No one has _ever _tried to get close to me since that day! Why would anyone start now?! You see how I treat everyone! I hate them all! Every single person in that god-forsaken village! All they feel towards me is pity and fear, thinking that that man will come after them next! Only someone from back then could ever want anything to do with me! If you weren't her, then you'd never want any part of my life You'd be just like everyone else in that miserable village!! Just admit it! YOU. _ARE_. HIKARI!"

Sasuke's chest throbbed painfully; his heart beat much faster than normal. His voice held more emotion than he'd shown in years and he felt a churning sensation in his stomach. He didn't know what to feel. Angry, hurt, sad, happy? How was he supposed to react?!

She sat there silently…completely stunned. _**He**__**knows**__!_

But she couldn't let him believe that any longer. She had to push him away. Pein and Konan. Sasori and Deidara. Hidan and Kakuzu. Kisame and Zetsu. Madara and Itachi. They were all counting on her. She was the key to her _family's _success. They needed her to create a better future, one with no more suffering and death. No more pain of losing loved ones in battle. No more sorrow from the hands of the ones precious to you. She had to pull through for all of them, all of their dreams.

For _her_ dream.

She knew what to do, even if it meant hurting the one she cared so deeply for.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry. But, I'm not that girl. I'm not her."

"And you expect me to believe that?" His voice had reached a new level of low.

"Have I given you a reason not to believe me?" She twisted her own wrists to grip the Uchiha's forearms. Her eyes begged him to believe her, truly sincere. He glared back. "Have I ever lied to you, Sasuke? No! And I don't plan on it, I never go back on my promises. You asked me to answer you're question honestly and I have. The last time I ever fought with Itachi Uchiha was two years ago. I promise."

"You keep telling us that you never go back on your promises. Then how about another one."

His eyes enlightened. His grip tightened. His very aura exploded into a fierce, demanding one unlike any she'd ever seen from him.

It made her sick with remorse.

"I'll stop accusing you if you just promise me this! Promise me that you're not Hikari, the one who spent two years in Konoha with me!"

"**I promise**!"

The words were out of her mouth before she even thought about them. If she thought the sickness was bad before, the twisting, revolting feeling of guilt in her stomach now was unbearable. She could already feel her head spinning, but her outside appearance had not changed from the one of sincerity. Somehow.

She'd said it. She'd promised something that wasn't true. She had lied to Sasuke…again. Would it ever stop? She didn't know, but she wished it would.

Sasuke sat stone still, frozen with the expression of blankness. The tiny sliver of hope he had held on to so dearly was ripped apart and he could literally feel his heart contracting. The emotional sincerity of her voice and eyes wasn't something he could ignore. They were too genuine, too smooth to be anything but the truth.

He was wrong. He knew that now.

She was GONE. DEAD. He needed to face the facts and move on. And maybe the girl sitting right in front of him could be his escape. Two months was all it took for her to squirm into his heart. It should have disgusted him, having this girl get so close, but he didn't think that way anymore…he hadn't realized just how much he was willing to go through to protect her until that day.

Sasuke had tried to murder a man. He had threatened an S-Ranked criminal with a bunch of little shuriken and kunai. He had pushed Hikari behind him to defend her from said criminal, knowing he could do little if it came to a fight. He'd even taken an excruciatingly painful punch right to the stomach for her!

What the heck had he been thinking?

His grip didn't falter though, it only strengthened. He made a mistake, but that one bad accusation was not going to take this person away from him. That was the last thing he wanted, their friendship to end because of some stupid little kid's hope of getting someone back.

"You're not her. I can tell. Looks like I was wrong."

Hikari sighed, trying to figure out what needed to be said to the boy. It was breaking her heart to see him this way. He may not have showed it, but she knew his heart was breaking again.

"Don't beat yourself up, Sasuke. I'm not mad at you. You only said things that you believed. I'm not going to hold them against you."

When he didn't speak, she almost panicked. He was going back into that shell if she didn't do something. She shook him once, but his eyes remained fixed on something else.

"I did mean what I said Sasuke. I want to get close to you. Just as close as she was years ago. You may think that the whole village fears you but you have friends to back you up. Great friends. Naruto, Sakura, Me, Kakashi, we're always going to be there for you. They want to get close to you too and I know for a fact that each of them would do anything for you at the drop of a hat."

His eyes had moved to gaze beyond her to the misty landscape. He felt so numb. It was strange, trying to picture everything she was telling him. He wanted to believe her, believe everything she said.

But all the thoughts in his mind kept shouting at him.

_Don't listen to her. She's lying. Why would Naruto help you, Sasuke. Hmm? He hates you. And that annoying little girl. She'd only help because she has a silly little crush. Oh and why would that teacher of yours ever want anything to do with you? All you ever do is cause tension in the team and you know he's still mad at you for hurting that little nuisance. Why would _she _even care to help you? You treat her with such hate. It's only a matter of time before she pushes you away too. Just like everyone else. You'll be alone for the rest of your days with no one to count on but yourself._

The feeling of something holding him made him flinch. Looking down, he found the girl wrapped around his torso, her head on his shoulder. He remained stock still, keeping his eyes on her blonde head.

"Stop it. Whatever you're thinking. It's not true. They're not like that. _I'm_ not like that. I'll never push you away. You can treat me like dirt for all I care." Her fingers tightened against his pale skin and she felt the tears building in her eyes. "I'm not going to give up on you, not ever. You're too important to me. I'm not going to throw away our friendship just because you act like a jerk sometimes. So stop trying to convince yourself that no one cares about you!"

She looked up at him with an amazing smile that made his breath catch. Shaking him once more, she proudly looked into his eyes.

"Because I'll never stop."

He just stared at her, completely dumbfounded. Her deep brown eyes were fierce and full of a sincerity he hadn't seen in years. And he thrived in it. He just couldn't get the words out of his mouth.

Leaning back, Hikari took the bandages, cheeks flushing at her outburst, even if she meant every word. The tears were drying now and she thought it was time to carry on. It was getting dark quickly and she needed to finish up.

"Okay, Sasuke. Please, don't move, now. I really do need to wrap up your injury or you're going to have some problems moving your left side." Her voice shuddered, but she carried on without a problem.

Sasuke still didn't speak, but she was alright with it, now. He needed to take it all in and Hikari was willing to give him all the time he needed. His mind was racing, but he didn't convey anything through his expression. His dark, calculating eyes never strayed from watching her fingers move around him.

A second before she finished, a sole kunai embedded itself on the bird at her side. She'd sensed it, but decided to let it land, knowing it was from the bird ahead. Both teenagers looked over and Hikari pulled one finger back, motioning the other bird to slow down.

Smiling, she tied a knot at the end of the white cloth and gave the Uchiha his shirt. Looking over, their eyes met again. This time, she could see his softening.

She smiled shyly. "Well, looks like we're almost there. We'll be landing soon."

He nodded and pulled on his shirt. Hikari stepped over Kakashi and sat down where she had been when they'd first climbed on. Naruto's bird was soon flying beside them and he was waving happily. In fact, he and Tazuna seemed to have a new light in their eyes. Maybe they both had already taken a liking to flying

Sakura was asleep, her head leaning against Naruto's back. Hikari would have laughed if she didn't feel so bad.

"Hey, guys!" He pointed off into the distance to a body of water. "Check it out! That's Tazuna's place by the lake!"

A little two-story, house stood over the water, only supported by the wooden platforms standing inside of the liquid. A large windmill structure was built in the back and the bank only stood about twenty yards to the side. It looked like a cozy little place, if a little run down.

"Finally! I can get some rest!" Tazuna leaned back slightly, his back popping. "My back's hurting from sitting like this."

Nodding, Hikari looked around for a suitable place to land. She wanted to be far enough away to not scare the villagers, but all the mist and the darkness setting in made it difficult to see. She sighed quietly, if not completely disheartened. Neither male knew what she and Sasuke had just discussed so it wasn't possible for them to show any kind of sympathy.

After a moment, a small clearing, just large enough to fit the two large birds, seemed to open up.

Smiling, she pointed it out. "We'll land there guys." They all looked, but Naruto turned back to the girl quickly. "There'll be a little walk, but that's fine. We can make it a few more minutes before collapsing."

Naruto looked at her in confusion. Why did she sound so depressed? His eyes immediately traveled to Sasuke accusingly, only to widen in pure shock. Instead of his normal, smug look, he wore a similar expression to Hikari's. What had happened between them?

"Alright! Let's go then, Hikari! Lead the way!" He wasn't going to say anything, at least not now. He was _way _too tired to argue with the irritating show off. Grabbing onto the bird, he prepared for the worst.

Blinking once, Hikari remembered something. She'd never tried to land one of these things.

Frowning, she went ahead and made the proper signals. If Deidara could do it, then so could she. Slowly and cautiously, she lowered both birds. She let out a breath when Naruto's landed safely on the grass.

However, hers decided to land a little more roughly.

The bird nearly slammed into the ground and she fell forward onto Kakashi. He grunted in his sleep and she mentally cursed. "Sorry, sensei," she mumbled. He didn't respond and she sighed.

Sitting back up, she saw Sasuke bracing himself ahead of her. He didn't even look jarred up from the landing. Looking away, she awkwardly took hold of Kakashi's left arm. Sasuke mimicked her action and they both handed the man down to Tazuna. He easily held Kakashi over his shoulder and Naruto held Sakura in his arms bridal style, afraid to wake her up. No one blamed him.

"Alright then. We'll head to Mr. Tazuna's to regroup. That's our only goal right now."

No one seemed to have the energy to talk, because each individual only nodded. Naruto's eyes were nearly drooping and she wondered if he should be carrying someone. Shrugging it off, she easily slid down the bird's side, followed shortly by Sasuke.

She didn't look back at him, but she felt his eyes boring into her.

Without a word, Hikari snapped her fingers, instantly disintegrating the clay birds. They both turned to dirt and would be completely gone with the wind by morning.

"Please lead the way, Mr. Tazuna." Nodding, he walked towards the small building, followed shortly by Naruto, Hikari, and then Sasuke.

It took only ten minutes, but by the time they each reached the wooden pathway; they were all freezing and ready to collapse. Even Hikari was cold and her side had started to cramp halfway through the walk. She needed to inspect everything before she fell asleep.

A light quickly flipped on in the house and the door slammed open. Hikari ordered everyone to stop and they listened without complaint. In the darkness, the group could make out the figure of a tall woman with long black hair and dark eyes. She looked to Tazuna and he stared back with a knowing look of his own.

Good. She was most likely not an enemy or anything. The woman jogged back to the house, but soon reappeared with many blankets.

"I was so worried about you, Dad. I'm glad you're safe." She kissed his cheek and wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and over Kakashi. "Quickly, bring him in and I'll take a look at him."

She turned her gaze on the children, wrapping a blanket around each of their shoulders too and over Sakura. Hikari studied her fluidly, knowing how important it was to keep everyone safe, even if the person didn't seem like a threat.

"You three must be exhausted. Come on, I'll make you some hot tea and then you can get some sleep."

They each nodded, taking in the motherly figure's words happily. What she'd said sounded perfect. Not finding anything suspicious, Hikari offered a smile.

"That would be very nice, ma'am. Thank you."

She nodded and led Naruto and Tazuna in ahead, knowing that Sakura and Kakashi needed to be taken care of. That left Hikari and Sasuke walking alone. She tried to keep her eyes from him, feeling nervous and abashed. She didn't know if it was what she'd said earlier to make her feel like this, or if the fear that Sasuke no longer wanted anything to do with her scared her.

The light from the patio engulfed both of them when they got close enough. In the light, she finally stopped, ready to apologize. He stopped at her side, willing himself to do what he wanted.

"Sasuke-."

A pressure around her wrist caught her attention and she glanced down. The beautiful charm bracelet was back in place, a pale hand slowly pulling away. When she looked back up, her eyes widened tremendously.

She was completely shocked when he wound his arms around her, embracing her tightly and affectionately. His hair brushed her cheek as he held her with compassion. Their bodies were flushed together and she nearly blushed, feeling his warm breath against her neck.

"Hikari…thank you." His grip tightened and she finally found the courage to hug him back just as fiercely.

"You're welcome, Sasuke."

Just as quick as it had started, the Uchiha's grip was gone. He'd straightened, his hand only up to hold the blue blanket around his neck. Hikari copied the motion with her red blanket.

The light had returned to his eyes and she smiled in happiness. Smirking he opened the door to the house. He motioned for her to enter and she did so without question. When she was through, he looked up to the silver moon, smile radiant. And he followed her into the house.

Things were finally looking up.


	28. Chapter 28: Mr Tazuna's House

Chapter 28: Mr. Tazuna's House

Hikari's Pov

"Naruto! Let go of the kitchen knife before you hurt someone!"

Cringing, the boy reluctantly put down the utensil, nursing his ear with his other hand. Sakura sure could scream, even at this time in the morning. I observed them both with a grin as I stirred the batter around with a wooden spoon.

"I was being careful, Sakura!" He looked to the girl who was now walking over to the bar/table top with her nose in the air. He pouted when she sat down beside Sasuke without acknowledging him. "See! No cuts or anything!"

_Not yet anyway. _I smiled and nudged him over to the counter as well. He pouted up to me childishly and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Go sit down, Naruto. I don't think I need anymore help."

I did a once over of everything. Bacon and ham sizzling on the oven, eggs in another skillet, chocolate chip muffins in the oven, and creamy, powdered sugar mix in hand.

"You sure? Even with your hand like that?"

Blue eyes trailed down to my wrapped hand and I looked down as well. The white cloth wrapped around all my fingers firmly, leaving me with no finger mobility. Sakura had done a nice job. It still pained me some, but the burn was healing slowly but surely. I nodded when our eyes met again and Naruto grinned.

"Yep. I'm definitely alright over here. Oh! Wait a sec!"

He stopped his movement around the counter and looked at me curiously. I gestured to the fridge with my head.

"Grab the milk and orange juice from the fridge and put them on the counter, please."

He nodded and made for the fridge. I looked over to my greatest friend at the table with a radiant smile, fully happy. He returned my look with a small grin, but his dark eyes were lit in a similar joy. We were on great terms and I loved being around him. I hoped he felt the same.

"Can you please grab us some glasses from the cabinet near the stove, Sasuke?"

Nodding, he shifted his legs to the side. "Sure."

He stood up from his chair fluidly, bare feet padding against the kitchen tile. Even after turning back to the stove, I felt his eyes on me. I didn't notice Sakura's heated glare when she caught the look in her crush's eye or the accusing look Naruto was shooting towards Sasuke when he moved closer to me.

It felt like we were in perfect synch now.

Well…almost.

The nagging feeling in my head and the clenching of my heart were constant reminders of our heart-to-heart a few days ago. Of how I lied to him and how I was setting everything up for another broken promise.

I must have momentarily frozen on the spot because I took in a surprised breath when Sasuke's cool hand brushed against mine when he passed by. Shaking off the hurtful feelings, I looked over to his concerned eyes, clearing reading the "Are you okay?" sign inside.

My expression turned pleasant once again and I nodded. _Never better._

Another stab. Why couldn't this feeling just leave me alone?

"Thanks." I turned back to the stove and set the large bowl beside it next to Sasuke. "It should all be ready soon. Just have to wait for these muffins in the oven."

A loud _clank _sound came from the fridge, followed by a curse and the sounds of more things being moved. A few ice cubes fell out and slid across the floor, leaving streaks of water in there place. I laughed lightly at Naruto's frustration while Sakura berated him for his bad language.

Sasuke stood close to my left as he reached for four glasses. His eyebrows furrowed in irritation when Naruto yelled back at the girl and they both started to argue again.

I let out a short sigh and looked over to him with a tired grin. "Those two just don't know when to quit, huh?"

He smirked as the oven timer went off. "They haven't stopped since we got here. Move over."

I reluctantly did so and the raven-haired boy removed the tray of chocolaty goodness from the oven rack. The instant aroma of melted chocolate filled the air and the collective sound of sniffing followed shortly by all of us.

"Those smell awesome, Hikari!" Naruto set the gallons of liquid on the counter and came over quickly to see the food. His blue eyes widened in anticipation and he went to reach for the nearest one.

Sasuke pulled the tray away, making it look like he only did so to move to the counter they were all going to sit at, and Naruto nearly fell forward. Clenching his teeth, he shot the Uchiha boy a glare. I merely grinned.

_Looks like Sasuke's in an "annoy Naruto to death" mood._

"Wait like everyone else, dobe." I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"SASUKE!! HAND OVER THE MUFFINS!"

"No." I mentally laughed when Naruto got even angrier. Seriously. They were fighting over muffins!

Sasuke placed the tray on a potholder on the counter as I clumsily, due to my hand, moved the bacon, ham, and eggs to a plate. After putting down the chocolate cakes, he came over to take the large plate from my hands before I dropped it. I pouted like a kid at that and he smirked.

I watched Sakura peel the wrappers off each muffin, face scrunched in irritation, before placing them on a separate plate. It looked like her mind was elsewhere, but every once and a while, she would pull off a wrapper with a little more force than necessary, almost as if she were taking out some sort of revenge on the poor things.

I wasn't really sure what was upsetting her and I'm not sure if I wanted to. Prying would put a strain on our slowly growing friendship and I did not need that.

"Hey, moron. Instead of cursing me, why don't you grab those plates from Hikari before she hurts herself?"

It was more a command than a suggestion and I saw Naruto's cheeks begin to turn red in irritation and his glare on his rival grew even more so in force.

Before he could open his mouth to argue, I beat him to it. "It's no problem, Sasuke." I balanced the plates on my wrists; holding my hands together and keeping that part straight across. "See? I'm perfectly capable of moving three feet without dropping anythi-."

A stray ice cube found it's way under my foot and I reeled back with a gasp. My eyes widened when I felt myself falling backwards. _Ah shoot. _

I saw Naruto and Sasuke look back with shocked faces, each reaching out for me. Neither would reach in time.

A large hand steadied me and I sighed, knowing who it was. Looking over my shoulder, I flashed Tazuna a thankful grin and hugged the plates to my chest firmly. He looked down to me in amusement.

"Morning, Tazuna. Oh, and thank you very much." I stood up straight and faced him. "That probably would have hurt."

He chuckled at me and moved passed all of us to the fridge. He pulled out a large bottle of beer and closed the door. After taking a huge gulp, he capped it and put it back. I arched an eyebrow at him and he returned my look by roughly messing up my hair.

I backed away with a gasp, now completely blinded by all the hair in my face. Tazuna chuckled.

"Yeah, morning to you too, kid."

Huffing in mock anger, I flipped my hair back and continued towards the table. "Uh-huh." He moved to the door where Tsunami, the lady who had helped us two days ago, stood. "Hey. Where you guys going?"

"I need to grab some food for dinner in the market." Tsunami flashed the four of us a smile. "We'll be back in an hour or so. Take care and make yourselves at home."

We all nodded and I could have swore that someone else, a kid maybe, led the way out of the house. Heightening my senses out of reflex, I indeed found a short boy walking beside the tall woman and Tazuna. He looked a lot like Tsunami. Glancing around swiftly, I found a picture frame that held the boy and woman together. That was all I paid attention to, but it was enough to know he wasn't of any harm to them.

Shrugging, I turned back to my friends.

"Well, guys. Looks like we're stuck here for an hour." Naruto grinned wickedly and my look instantly turned scolding. "Naruto Uzumaki. If you even _think _about doing anything to this house, you will regret it."

Raising his hands in defense, Naruto laughed sheepishly. "Hey! I wasn't planning anything, Hikari! Honest!"

"Uh-huh."

I let him take the plates from me, catching his amused, cheeky grin. I narrowed my eyes at him and he laughed. Rolling my eyes, I turned back to the large bowl by the stove to grab it, only to find it missing. Blinking once, I turned back around to find the mixture already being poured over the muffins by Sasuke. I went to pour the milk and juice, only to find Naruto already half way done. That left the meat and eggs…which were being put on each plate by Sakura.

That left me with nothing to do. "Geeze, guys. Make me feel useless."

Each of my teammates looked up to me. Each with different expressions. Sakura's eyes were still narrowed in an angry glare, but she forced a smile onto her face. Sasuke smirked and continued layering the muffins. Naruto flashed another large smile.

"You deserve a break, Hikari." He put the four glasses at our seats. "You've been up all night watching over Kakashi-sensei and then you cooked for us. Sit down and let us get everything else."

Shrugging, I collapsed into the fourth seat of the bar/table. "If you insist." _Thank you, Naruto. I can _finally_ take a load off. I'm exhausted. _

Sasuke pushed a plate of eggs, bacon, and muffins in front of me and I smiled down to it hungrily. He finished passing the plates out to everyone else before going to sit. I glimpsed him moving to sit between Sakura and me, but Naruto beat him to it. I don't know if I imagined it or not, but the look on Sasuke's face was livid when he was forced to sit at the other end of the table. I brushed it off as only irritation towards Naruto's antics and began to eat.

It was delicious. The creamy, sugary mixture on top of the muffins only further brought out all the yummy chocolate in the muffin. Another one of Konan's recipes had paid off.

"This is great!" Naruto announced, taking another huge bite. He was practically shoving the food down his throat. "Where'd you learn how to make this white stuff?!"

I swallowed quickly before answering, "My friend showed me a few years back. This is the first time I've made it though." I tilted my head and smiled. "I'm glad you like it."

He nodded vigorously, mouth completely full. "Yah. Uh shod mocke it mow offton."

Sakura hit him in the head. "Naruto! Don't talk with your mouth full! That's gross!"

He swallowed and looked at her with a frown. "_Sakura!_" he whined.

"I don't want to hear it!" She poked at one of her muffins before reluctantly putting it in her mouth.

_Hmm…she's a grouch this morning. Wonder what's up._

"Are you feeling okay, Sakura?" She looked over to me and I tried to look more concerned.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were feeling alright." I grinned. "You don't seem like you're in a very good mood."

Huffing, she turned back to her plate with a frown. "I'm perfectly fine! Stay out of things that don't concern you!"

I felt a pang for some reason and I felt my face instantly downcast. Why she could make me feel bad was beyond me. It was only about two months ago that her comments made no effect on me whatsoever, but I knew now that it must have been because we'd started to get closer. Now it seemed like she regretted ever wanting to be my friend. It hurt.

"Right." I turned back to my food, voice losing the joy it had held. "Sorry to bother you."

I didn't see the glimpse of regret flash through her eyes for a moment, nor the furious look Sasuke was shooting her. I only felt Naruto pat me once on the back.

"Hey! Don't listen to her, Hikari!" I looked over to him and he grinned. "She's probably just going through her time of the month or something."

My eyes widened and I heard Sakura gasp before punching him once again in the head. "I am not!" she exclaimed furiously, hitting him once more. The boy only laughed, not once cringing at her blows. He wanted to make me happy again and I was grateful.

I couldn't help but laugh when he said that that was definitely the case when she hit him again. After that whole ordeal was over, I had emptied my plate and was now standing.

"Thanks, Naruto. I appreciate it." He nodded happily, flashing me a thumbs-up sign.

"Anytime you need a little Uzumaki cheer, you know where to find me!" I laughed again and carefully went to pick up my dishes, only to watch them be taken by someone else.

He set down both our dishes in the sink and turned back to flash me a smirk. "Wouldn't want you to fall again." I stuck my tongue out at him playfully and his smirk only grew. Taking my wrist, he carefully led me towards the hallway where our rooms were located. "C'mon. Your hand needs rewrapped."

"Okay, okay." Turning to look over my shoulder, I waved slightly to the two Genin at the table. "See you guys in a few. Oh, and Naruto?" He looked as if he were spacing out, but he turned to me instantly. "Can you watch over sensei until were finished?"

"Yeah, sure." His blue eyes had a mixed look of confusion and accusation inside and I didn't really know why. They moved to stare at the boy waiting for me to finish in the doorway, hand still holding my arm.

I smiled thankfully. "Thanks, Naruto. Let me know if he starts to wake up. I have to give him that special medical tea in the fridge as soon as he does."

_That stuff always helped Itachi the few times he over did it with the Sharingan. It should have a similar effect on Kakashi. He'll be up and ready in no time flat._

…

As soon as we left the room, Naruto looked over to the pink haired girl beside him. Her grip on the glass was almost of breaking force and her eyes were dangerously narrowed on the spot the two of us had left.

Confused, he looked back down to his food. He didn't understand what was going on with Sasuke, but the Uchiha almost seemed…happy now. Naruto could have swore that he even saw the boy smile the night before. And only because Hikari handed him a cup of tea.

He was sure that Sakura was jealous with how well he treated Hikari and that little fact was what confused him as well. Why did he treat her like that? He treated that girl, one he'd only known for a few short months, better than he treated people he'd known for years! Naruto didn't know what to think of it.

Sighing, the boy stood from his seat and dropped his dishes in the sink as well. He'd think about it all later, but right now, he had a job to carry out.

He grinned evilly, rubbing his hands together. _Maybe I'll even get to see what's under Kakashi-sensei's mask!_

…

"Owch! Careful, Sasuke! That part's very sensitive right now!"

"If you'd be still, this wouldn't be a problem."

"If you'd let me do it myself, we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

"If you wouldn't have burnt yourself, we wouldn't even be in this room, Hikari."

"If you wouldn't have-."

"If you weren't so stubborn then I'd be done by now!"

"Ah, touché."

I sighed and sat still. He'd got me and judging by the smirk on his face, he knew it too. Gently, his fingers wound the white cloth around my left hand once again. I had to admit, he knew how to wrap a wound. He'd easily done a better job than Sakura.

"Yeah, well, you're not one to talk, Uchiha." I narrowed my eyes in mock anger. "You're one of the most stubborn people I know!" He chuckled, pulling his fingers apart to tie the knot.

"That the best you've got? 'One of the most stubborn people I know?' Who's the most stubborn? Icatai?"

I smiled broadly, remembering a certain day. "I don't know…not after that icing incident a week ago." I grinned. "He actually took part with us and only after one hit! I think that's a record!"

Sasuke and Icatai had become…I guess you could say acquaintances in the past few weeks. With Sasuke coming over all the time, they were forced to speak to each other. A little push from yours truly every once and awhile also helped.

"Of course, I _did _get it all in his hair. He's never happy when bad things happen to it. Oh!"

Leaning forward, my eyes widened as a familiar funny story came to mind. Sasuke looked at me as if I was crazy but I continued anyway.

"Like one time, my friend and I, you know, the one who gave me the clay, decided to make a giant bird sculpture and we asked Ita-uh-Icatai. My fault. I was speaking too fast. Anyway, we asked him to come and see the finished project. And when he came, we teleported out of there and activated the bomb inside of the bird!"

Arching an eyebrow, Sasuke pulled himself up from his cross-legged position across from me. Reaching down, he helped me to my feet as well.

"What happened?" He turned and started for the trash can on the other side of the room, his attention still on me though.

"He was covered in clay from head to toe! That's what happened!" I laughed and brushed a lose strand behind my ear. "It took him hours to get it out of his hair, of course, it was longer back then."

Sasuke chuckled, whether or not it was from my little story or the expression on my face I'm not for certain. I still stood next to the boys' beds but walked over when he signaled.

"Have you tried to pull pranks on everyone?" He arched an eyebrow and led the way out of the room. We headed towards Kakashi-sensei's side-by-side, bare feet padding against the wooden floor.

"Not _everyone…_" I grinned sheepishly and stared over to him from the corner of my eyes. "I have yet to try anything on Shikamaru and Neji. But I think their time is coming."

His lips instantly morphed into a straight line at the mention of my other friends' names. Did he not like them or something?

_He never talks to Shikamaru and I don't think he's ever met Neji. He's only heard the stories I tell him about our training days. _The memory of a recent day came to mind and I couldn't keep back a smile. _Gosh. I can't wait to get back._

I slid the door to Kakashi's room open, finding Naruto and Sakura already inside. They both sat near Kakashi's unconscious form on the tatami mat. Naruto grinned evilly over sensei and was in the process of leaning over his face, hands reaching for the mask. Sakura watched intently, hands clutched to her chest as if she was about to make a life-changing discovery.

They didn't hear either of us walk into the room.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I looked at both of them in a mixture of confusion and knowing. Crossing my arms, I flashed a tiny smirk.

"You guys are going to get in trouble."

They both gasped, Naruto's more like a yell, and whirled around. Their eyes were wide, but instantly narrowed back to normal when they saw it was only the two of us. Naruto pointed a finger at me, look almost panicking.

"Don't scare me like that, Hikari!" I giggled, watching Naruto's gaze soften at the sound. "We're trying to see Kakashi-sensei's face!"

I tapped my foot against the ground and stared at him in amusement. "What? You think he's going to be deformed or something? Like buck teeth or blimp lips?" My eyes flickered over to the sleeping man. "He's probably a normal looking man. Maybe even handsome."

I heard Sasuke mumble something under his breath but paid no mind to it. Naruto's voice was a lot easier to hear.

"Ah! Come on, Hikari!" He grinned mischievously from ear to ear. "I know you wanna see it too!"

"True, but that doesn't mean I'm going to take advantage of him."

I knelt on at Kakashi's side, the back of my hand brushing his forehead. Nodding, I flipped my hand over to lay my palm against the same spot. My eyes closed in concentration as I searched for all negative effects concerning his condition. I felt all of my teammates' eyes on me, wondering what I was doing and waiting for some sort of good news.

Letting out a contented sigh, I let my right hand fall back to my side and stood up. "Good. His fever hasn't returned and nothing shows any sign of mental unstableness." I gazed down at the man through tired eyes. "The only problem lies in his physical abilities. He's definitely going to need a few days to recover, even after he wakes up."

Sakura stared from me to Kakashi and back, eyebrows furrowed in confusion and irritation. I knew what was going through her mind. She wanted to know how I could discover all this information just by _touching _a person, and for only a few seconds!

Grinning, I looked down to her. "It takes years of practice, Sakura."

"Huh?!" She looked up to me, face showing her extreme shock, probably from being so easy to read. She leaned back on the palms of her hands, blinking furiously.

Laughing shortly in amusement, I gestured to my good hand, summoning the faint green glow. The condensed chakra moved through my fingers just like a fire, the healing power soothing me. She stared at it in wonder and jealousy, her emerald eyes narrowing. Naruto and Sasuke were also looking at it with mixed expressions of intrigue and curiosity. Letting out a breath, I slowly allowed the flame to disappear.

"That was a low level healing jutsu called: Hikari no Chiyu or Light of Healing."

"Hey! That has your name it!" Naruto rocked back on his heals in his crouched position, eyes sparkling like he'd just found out a life-changing secret. "So your name means "light" then right?" When I nodded, his smile only grew. "Wow! That's awesome! Your mom and dad must have had good taste!"

I shrugged and brushed off the interruption. "Off subject, but yes. Hikari does mean light in Japanese. Anyway, what I was trying to explain is how long and hard I had to practice to get this perfect." I crossed my arms and closed my eyes as if remembering how I learned it. "Tsunade was always pushing me so I guess that helped speed it up."

"What?!" Sakura leaned forward, palms now pressing against her thighs, her eyes wide in shock. "Tsunade? As in the legendary sannin, Tsunade? _She _trained you?!" She gasped when I nodded. "Just how many teachers do you have?! Are they all that amazing?!"

_Okay…I think I took this a little too far. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that. It looks like she's about to blow up. _Sure enough, it looked like steam was coming from her ears, her eyes lit with angry fire. _Ah, crap. No more talk of my personal life unless they ask. _

I backed away a step and rubbed my neck sheepishly. I looked around to the two boys in the room, taking in their expressions as well. My eyes stopped on Sasuke. The raven haired boy was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and stance completely relaxed. His slightly accusing eyes bored into mine.

"Are all my teachers that amazing? Umm-well-I guess… _I_ think they're all amazing."

"Not like that!" She leaned in even more and I was eternally grateful that I was standing on the other side of the room from her. The look she was giving me was pretty scary. "I mean, are they all legendary like Tsunade! She's the best medic kunochi in the world! And she's a Sannin of Konohagakure! She's known everywhere!"

"_Ooohh…_hmm." I looked to the ground in thought, fingers twiddling with my silver bracelet.

Images of each Akatsuki member flashed through my mind. Hidan with that same smirk he always wore. Kakuzu with the same glare towards everyone. Sasori's blazing red hair and serious face. Konan's rare smile. Pein's scowling face when I was clumsy. "Tobi's" wild antics. Kisame and that cocky smirk. Itachi narrowing his obsidian eyes in irritation.

Deidara's bright smile and deep, comforting voice. I missed him so much that it hurt. We were great friends. We did everything together. He was the one who helped me through all the pain of losing Itachi. He was the one who always stood at my side when I needed someone. He was the one I always counted on.

Another image of him flashed, but I quickly pushed it away. This was no time for reminiscing. I had other obligations at the moment.

Blinking, I broke out of my little trance and focused on the scene. It didn't look like anyone's expressions had changed, so my thoughts must have lasted less than a second…weird. Shrugging it off, I forced a small grin.

I wasn't obligated in giving her their names so talking wouldn't harm much. "Some of them are I guess."

_Yeah. They're "famous" alright._

"Who are they?" The serious boy had finally decided to open his mouth and I would have frowned if not for my position. I needed to keep up the façade.

Gazing over to him, I smiled warmly. Maybe I could get him to drop it. "I don't think you'd know any of them. Even the semi-famous ones."

"Try me." His gaze hardened and I mentally cursed. Maybe he was still a little undecided about me.

That wasn't it.

_He's smarter than I've given him credit for. _

Thankfully, we were interrupted. A low groan came from our teacher and we all turned to him immediately. His right hand rubbed his temple harshly as if to get rid of a headache. I was positive that he had a bad one. Overusing the Sharingan wasn't a common occurrence among the Uchiha clan, but she'd seen the pain in their eyes when it happened.

Blinking once against the sunlight, Kakashi slowly opened his mismatched eyes, staring straight at the ceiling with a tired look. He didn't even have a moment to adjust to his new surroundings before he was bombarded.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura exclaimed, scooting closer to him and causing the man's ears to twitch in pain. "You're awake!"

"Took you long enough, sensei!" Naruto put his hands behind his head and smiled smugly. "It's almost been two days!"

At the same time, I knelt at his other side, diverting Kakashi's attention, and most likely irritation, from the two loud shinobi.

Silver strands stuck to his face in a few places and I moved them away before pressing my palm to his head again. I knew I'd just done the same thing, but him being awake would make my tests more accurate. Besides…Sasuke was shooting me an unpleasant look right now.

I was taken aback when Kakashi stiffened when I touched, his eyes narrowing. My own eyes narrowed in confusion towards his reaction. It was like I was the enemy or something. Almost as if he thought I was untrustworthy. Why?

His stature shifted back to the tired Jounin we'd all just seen and it looked like none of the others saw the brief change. Blinking, I decided to question it later. I was probably just imagining things. What had I done to lose his trust?

_Well…You _did _completely ignore his orders when he told you to run from Zabuza. But he was in trouble! We couldn't just leave him there! Besides, I got everyone here safely. I technically did my job. _

"How are you feeling, sensei?" I closed my eyes once again in concentration, letting the green glow take over my hand.

I felt him finally relax. "Tired and sore, but I should be fine in a few days."

I nodded and pulled back. Smiling, I stood and made my way passed the others to reach the kitchen next door.

"That seems about right. But maybe I can speed up the process." My voice was loud enough to carry into the other room. "I made some special tea for you. It's supposed to help when a shinobi has overexerted themselves."

Just then, the main door opened and in stepped Tsunami, Tazuna, and a small boy with dark, shaggy hair. I cocked my head to the side and studied the new appearance for a moment. He wore and blue and white striped hat on the top of those messy locks and his big dark eyes were full of the emotions of anger and pain.

_I wonder who he is. _My eyes traveled to Tsunami. _Maybe Tsunami's son. _

Speaking of the woman, I couldn't even see her behind all the bags she was carrying. She and Tazuna had at least four big bags each and the younger boy carried a couple smaller ones. When our eyes met, he glared. I was curious about him, but turned back to the adults after a moment.

"Welcome back you guys. Need some help?"

Tazuna led the way in and set the many bags on the counter with a grunt. Sighing in relief, he shot me a smug look.

"From the one-handed wonder? I don't think so." He chuckled when I shot him a mock look of irritation.

I folded my arms and turned back to look for the last ingredient that needed to be added to the tea. "It'll be better by tomorrow! Then I won't need all this help." I looked back to the three of them sheepishly. "Sasuke keeps doing everything for me. I feel useless."

He smirked broadly, a knowing look in his eyes. I didn't know what he was implying and I didn't spend too much time worrying about it because I couldn't find the last ingredient. Furrowing my eyebrows, I finished another search of the fridge.

"Hey, Tazuna?"

"Yeah?" He was putting the groceries away in the cabinets. Tsunami was ushering the small boy up to his room for something but said she'd be back in a second.

"Did you buy any Rysonome Roots by chance?" I sighed when he shook his head. "Guess I'll need to run down to the market." I knocked on the doorframe to Kakashi's room, smiling sheepishly once again.

Mis-matched, black, blue, and green eyes all trained on me and I mentally laughed. How come I'd never noticed that we all had different eye colors? The most similar pair were mine and Kakashi's because they were both somewhat brownish. Other than that, we were all completely unique.

_At least until Sasuke awakens his Sharingan. _I could just imagine those beautiful crimson eyes. They would look perfect with him. He was made to use the Sharingan.

Just like his brother.

"I need to head out to the market to find some Rysonome Roots for the tea, sensei. I'll be back in half an hour. Let Sakura know if you need anything." I turned my gaze onto the surprised girl. "I trust her judgments in the medical field. She'll know what to do."

Sakura smiled brightly and nodded vigorously to Kakashi. "Right! Just tell _me _if you need something, sensei!" She turned back to me for a moment, the anger replaced with thanks. She'd forgiven me for whatever she was upset with me about.

Kakashi nodded once, eyes closing loosely and a breath escaping his covered lips.

"Is Mr. Tazuna here, Hikari?" I replied with a "yeah." "Send him in. I have something to speak with him about."

"I'll get the old geezer, sensei!" Naruto stood up and ran out the door, nearly bowling me over and making me gasp, before any of us could object.

Blinking incredulously, I turned back to the others. "I'll see you all in a few."

I walked out of the passage and towards the door, ready to head out to the market. Naruto and Tazuna were making there way into the room and I barely restrained my laughter at the sight of Tazuna's face. He did not look happy that the Genin was practically dragging him to the room.

He shot me a look when a chuckle slipped out and I waved back. When Tsunami came back, I asked if she bought any of the roots.

She furrowed her eyebrows and looked through her bags. "No. I don't see any. And Tazuna said he didn't have them? I thought I bought some."

She looked over to the counter and saw his bags that had yet to be unpacked. With a sigh, she began to look through them.

"They may be in here but I'm not sure."

I grinned and went to the door anyway. "That's fine. I can just go buy some. I'll see you in a bit."

She nodded and continued searching through the bags while I left the building. I was halfway there when I remembered something. I'd left my money bag in my room. Groaning, I made my way back to the house. Why hadn't I thought of this sooner?

My hand froze on the handle when I heard something inside.

Something I wasn't meant to hear.

* * *

3rd Pov

Naruto and Sakura sat beside Kakashi and Tazuna sat on the other side of the room, looking back and forth between everyone. The Uchiha remained in his spot against the wall, casually crossing his arms over his chest and gaze somewhere else. Kakashi's eyes remained shut, his thoughts gathering in his mind.

He knew something that would shock them all. He realized something that would make them all reconsider everything they'd done since becoming Genin.

And it all started when that masked boy showed up. But it was that one line that sent the masked-Jounin's mind into motion.

…

"_I apologize that I cannot speak with you longer. Nevertheless, I have a task that must be fulfilled. " He turned back to Zabuza's "corpse" and her eyes widened, although unnoticeably to everyone...__**except Kakashi.**_

…

_She knew something then. Hikari knew that Zabuza wasn't dead. She knew he was still alive. She knew that that boy was the enemy. She knew that he was going to save that demon. Hikari chose not to speak. _

The copy ninja had it all worked out. She was betraying the squad for that boy. She was betraying Konoha for the enemy.

"Shouldn't we wait 'till she gets back?" Sasuke stared out the window to the retreating girl, hoping she'd be safe on her trip. No one knew what other ninjas were lurking around.

"No." Kakashi shakily sat up, eyes completely serious. The pure fierceness in his eyes shocked them all, even the Uchiha. "We will start now. I have things to tell you that I don't want Hikari to hear."

"Wait-What?! How can you say that?! Hikari's a part of this squad!" Naruto opened his mouth to further argue but cringed in fright when Kakashi shot him a death glare. Far worse than any had ever received from anyone.

"Do not argue with me, Naruto." He moved to lean against the wall, eyes narrowed in concentration. "We have entered the hardest part of the mission. The division where none of us can afford to be caught off guard."

"W-What are you talking about, sensei?" Sakura leaned in only slightly, wary of the look he was giving all of them. The tension in the room was almost unbearable. "A-And why can't Hikari hear any of this? Isn't this only about our mission?"

Kakashi nodded, eyes trailing straight to Sasuke leaning against the wall across from him. The boy was no longer staring out the window. Now, his eyes were fixed on Kakashi in a feral glare. How dare that man try to keep his best friend oblivious! Why would he ever think of leaving such a loving being out of this conversation? Especially with all she'd done for them these past months! Sasuke found it completely unreasonable and uncalled for.

Kakashi fixed his headband, bringing it over his left eye once again. Never once did his sole brown eye leave Sasuke's own. What he had to say would be harder on that boy than on anyone else.

"I've overlooked something important." His gaze shifted away to acknowledge everyone. "Listen…the shinobi hunters who manage corpse disposals are supposed to destroy the bodies of those they kill at once, right on the spot."

"So what?" Sakura arched an eyebrow and Kakashi continued with a disbelieving look.

"Don't you get it? Any of you?" He let out an irritated breath when no one spoke up. "How did the kid in the mask dispose of Zabuza's corpse?"

"Huh?" All the Genin and Tazuna wore blank looks, each thinking back on the battle. How did he dispose of it?

Naruto put a hand to his chin as if in deep thought and Sasuke looked to the ceiling, eyes closed as he recalled the battle. But all he could really think about was that one instance when he jumped in and took the blow for Hikari. He nearly winced just thinking about the blow the Mist Nin had given him.

A smirk found its way to his lips. It had been worth it. He'd kept her safe from that shot.

"How should we know?" Naruto looked at Kakashi incredulously. "He took the body with him."

Kakashi nodded. They were on the right track. "Yes, he did. Even though all he needed to take home as proof would be the head." He massaged his jaw for a second, easing the muscle before setting his hand in his lap. "And there is a mystery surrounding the weapons that the hunter used to dispatch his prey."

_Senbon needles. _Sasuke stared at the wood floor in thought, moving all the occurrences around, trying to make sense of them. _He was punctured through the neck with senbon needles. Senbon are used primarily for surgeries. They're pretty much useless in battle, unless the user has memorized the precise lethal points and has an incredible accuracy level. To be able to kill a Jounin with those needles is almost impossible. That masked freak couldn't have-._

His eyes widened and he let out a surprised breath. All eyes turned to him as his thoughts locked into place. He stared blankly at Kakashi, mouth nearly gaping. How could he have been so stupid?!

"No way…"

Kakashi nodded, knowing he'd found the answer. "Yes...way!"

Tazuna shook his head, face looking more than a little shocked. "What kind of nonsense are you all mumbling about?" He looked from Kakashi to Sasuke, as did Sakura and Naruto, all of them looking confused.

Their teacher leaned forward, eyes half-lidded. "That it's likely…Zabuza is still alive!"

A chorus of shocked gasps and the three unknown members of the squad blanked, mouths wide and disbelieving. Sakura and Naruto clenched their fists.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" Naruto shouted angrily, eyes wide in a panic.

"YEAH! Kakashi-sensei, you checked to make sure Zabuza was dead, didn't you?!" Sakura leaned in even more, curling her fingers against the soft striped blanket.

"I made sure of it…but…a deathlike trance could have created a very convincing illusion of the real thing. Those senbon needle weapons that shinobi hunters use can be deadly if they hit a vital spot. If not, the mortality rate is surprisingly low and remember, they were originally designed as medical treatment tools."

They all listened to Kakashi speak of hunter nins and of the ways of creating a near-death appearance. All the proof stacking up made each person believe it more and more. This was actually happening. All their hard work was turning into nothing before their eyes.

Naruto clenched his fists and looked down to them angrily. All he had done. All he, Hikari, and Sasuke strived to do was in vain. It didn't matter. Zabuza wasn't dead.

His revenge for Hikari wasn't complete. He would never forgive that monster for hurting her. He was going to pay!

"-These two points suggest that the kid's objective was to give the illusion of killing Zabuza while he actually rescued him. Things may just be the way they seem…but we have to consider the other possibility."

Sakura grinned. Maybe he actually was dead! Maybe they could go home now! After all, Icatai Hayate's inauguration into ANBU was coming up! She didn't want to miss it!

Tazuna grunted and raised a hand to gesture. "Aren't we just complicating things by over-thinking them? Shinobi hunters are supposed to hunt outlaw shinobi, right?"

Kakashi nodded. "Usually. But ignoring something that smells this fishy is a great first step to being caught completely unprepared. And preparation is a shinobi's most important skill!"

Naruto's grim look suddenly turned into one more of excitement, earning him a strange look from the copy-nin.

"Oh well! Whether Zabuza is dead or alive, there may still be more and even deadlier ninja in the service of your enemy Gato."

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura chirped in. "You said that we should be prepared, but you can hardly move now. What are we going to do?"

"Well, Sakura. I'm going to increase your training schedule."

"What?! Training?!" She clenched her hands into fists once more, face annoyed and angry all at once. "But Kakashi-sensei! What will a little extra training matter with what we're up against?! Our opponent is so strong that you were almost defeated! Even with your Sharingan! If Hikari hadn't been there then we'd all be goners!"

A single brown eye narrowed at the ceiling. _Right. Hikari saved us all. So why would she decide to sell us out. This only adds more questions._

"That's right, Sakura." She blinked at him in shock and he turned a proud look to each Genin. "When I was trapped, who saved me? It wasn't just Hikari. No." He grinned, eye crinkling. "It was all of you. You're all maturing rapidly." His eye turned to Naruto. "Especially you Naruto. You've grown the most."

Naruto beamed at the compliment, relishing in it. Sakura looked at him in a newfound form of respect, smiling slightly. Maybe he was a little-more grown up now. Sasuke merely scoffed at that and looked back out the window.

Hikari was nowhere in sight now. She was probably already on her way back though. He' d see her again soon. But what did Kakashi need to say about her?

The feeling in his stomach wouldn't leave. Every time he thought of her in trouble, the same feeling would return. He didn't fully understand it, but he knew that it had something to do with their close bond. He needed to protect her for fear that his heart would collapse. It had gotten to the point of being painful every time she received a cut. It was…unnerving. He hated it. It made him feel weak.

"-once a person has been placed into a near-death trance, it is quite some time before their body returns to it's previous state."

Naruto clenched his fist in determination. "So we'll train while we're waiting! Could be fun!"

"Kakashi…" All eyes once again turned to Sasuke. His gaze was hard and cunning. "What you've said is important, but all of it could have been said with Hikari here. And since she's not here to listen now, you can be sure I'll fill her in on everything later. But you already know that." Black eyes sharpened. "What do you need to tell us? What did she do?"

Naruto, Sakura, and Tazuna all nodded in curiosity. Naruto was ready to say anything to back up his first real friend.

"You're right, Sasuke."

Sighing shortly, Kakashi's lazy face once again morphed back to the serious look no one was used to. He was just going to come out with it. The truth had to be revealed. If Hikari was a threat to their lives, he was going to restrain and capture her for questioning in Konoha. This level of crime would not go unchecked.

"I have reason to believe that Hikari has-."

"Hatake Kakashi." They turned to the doorway, Naruto and Sakura falling over anime style at the interruption. Kakashi would have glared if it would have been someone else. Instead, he merely smiled to the woman tiredly.

"Oh, uh…yes ma'am?" He didn't know her name, but he assumed she wasn't a threat. She looked too much like Tazuna. He took notice of the tea in her hands and tried to act polite in the current situation. "Is that for me?" He grinned sheepishly when she nodded. "How-uh-thoughtful?"

Everyone was giving the pretty woman disbelieving looks for interrupting, but she didn't seem to notice. She knelt at Kakashi's side, holding out the cup of tea. He reluctantly took it, grinning sheepishly.

"Um…thanks? You shouldn't have."

The woman shrugged and giggled slightly. "It was no problem at all. Really. I didn't do much."

Kakashi nodded and rose the cup to his lips. Naruto and Sakura watched in anticipation, hoping he'd take off his mask. Sasuke glared venomously. What was he going to say about Hikari?! The sound of the door being slid open once again caused them all to turn to it, giving Kakashi enough time to drink every drop without revealing his face.

In the doorway, stood a young child, no more than eight or nine. He wore a blue and white striped hat and overalls. Dark eyes took in the room's occupants and he frowned at the sight.

"It won't be fun for **you**."

"Who the heck are you?!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

Tazuna opened his arms and gestured to the small boy. "Inari! Where'd you run off to?"

The kid took off his shoes and came over to the group. He scoffed, crossed his arms, and turned towards the door.

"There was a nice lady out there who needed some help pouring some tea. She asked if I could help, so I did."

_She's back? That fast? _Kakashi sure enough sensed her presence and his eyes narrowed. It had only been ten minutes. It would be impossible to run down to the town in that amount of time! _Which means she never left. Was she listening this whole time? This isn't good. If she really is a traitor and she knows that I'm on to her, she'll attack now. In this condition, I'm as useless as an Academy Ninja. Hikari's stronger than all my other students. It would be easy for her to kill Tazuna. _

She wouldn't kill her squad though. He knew that much. She was far too loyal, her bonds with all of them were too strong. She wouldn't lay a hand on them if she could help it.

Loud shouts from Naruto and angry retorts from the boy echoed in the room, but as the seconds passed, they seemed to be getting further and further away.

Kakashi's eyes drooped and he caught himself before he fell forward.

_What? Why do I feel so tired all of a sudden? _

Sasuke caught the gesture and looked at his teacher sharply. "Kakashi?"

Kakashi caught a glimpse of the empty teacup beside him and an image of Hikari smirking flashed in his mind. He felt his eyes roll up in his head and he fell back onto the pillow, eyes closing automatically. Many gasps and shouts were their reactions and Kakashi could deftly hear one voice in the doorway.

"It's alright, guys. The tea makes him sleep. He'll be better when he wakes up."

That was Hikari's voice. _She _had made the relaxation tea. But that wasn't the problem.

The problem lied in the extra ingredient he hadn't thought to look for.

_She drugged me. _

He was unconscious in a matter of seconds, knowing that his student had heard everything and that she was trying to keep him quiet. One thing was for certain…

She was going to be placed under arrest for traitorous acts against Konoha.

* * *

**Two hours earlier…**

Two ninja stood at the edge of the lake, both looking to the bank. The taller bent down to scoop up a bit of _clay _from the edge. Smirking he stood and showed it off to his partner.

"See, un. I told you I saw her. This clay's mine, ya."

Furrowing his eyebrows, the red haired man turned to the horizon. "Looks like you were right. For once."

Seething, the blonde shot him a death glare. "Of course I'm right, Sasori! I'd know my own birds anywhere, yeah!"

Scoffing, Sasori turned back to the water. "Then go ahead and create another one, Deidara. I'm tired of walking and I think it's time we paid our friend a visit."

"Got'cha!"

Deidara took clay out of the weapon pouch at his side; letting the mouths on his hands morph it into a work of art. After a minute, he threw the newly constructed art piece to the ground. It exploded and in its place, stood a large bird, big enough for both criminals to sit on comfortably.

They both jumped on and the clay creature took off, heading straight for the Wave Village.

It would only take **five hours**.

* * *

**Ten hours later…**

"Haku. Where are you going?"

He froze, pale hand resting on the doorknob. With the twist of his head, the pretty boy glanced over to the bed his precious person rested upon. Zabuza stared up to him through cunning eyes. He already knew the answer. He didn't need to ask.

"I need to talk to her, Zabuza." His hand fell to his side, brushing against his blue robe. "Please. Give me the opportunity of thanking her properly. She's done so much for us and all I have done is trouble her."

With a pained grunt, the swordsman sat up, eyes still trained on the boy. "Haku. What have I told you about that child?" He rested his arm on a propped knee, ignoring the pain it gave him. "She is the enemy of our present task. You cannot associate yourself with the likes of her."

Fist clenching, the boy refrained from shouting out his disagreements. Taking in a calming breath, he looked through the dully-lit room blankly.

"Zabuza, sir. I _must _speak with her. Surely she deserves that much. I told you, she saved our lives back by the lake. If it weren't for her, you'd be-."

Haku snapped his mouth shut when Zabuza let out a warning growl. Shifting himself, he sat upright with his back against the cold wall, eyes narrowing on the white bed sheets.

A few minutes passed before Haku had the courage to speak again. "Sir. Please."

Black eyes turned back to the young, pleading teenager. He watched the boy's eyes beg and he grimaced. He was going to regret letting the boy get his way.

"Fine. Go." He practically snarled the words and Haku internally rejoiced. "You better be back by evening tomorrow."

Bowing, Haku smiled jovially to his master. All he needed was **two hours** to get there. "Thank you, Zabuza sir. I will return no later."

The boy turned around quickly and nearly ripped the handle off the door in his haste. The grin never left his face and the Mist Nin could feel the warmth from it even after the door was slammed shut.

Smirking, the Demon of the Mist craned his neck against the wall. "Heh. Just like old times, eh Haku?"

* * *

**24 hours earlier…**

Icatai Hayate,

As you are aware, Squad 7, headed by Hatake Kakashi has yet to report to Konoha in the given amount of time. The mission was of C rank; therefore, no enemies were to be engaged in combat. I have found their prolonged absence upsetting, especially with Kakashi's lack of notice and/or point of reference. The consisted team of four Genin has done little to soothe my worries.

With this knowledge, we, the council and I, have decided to bestow upon you the task of tracking Squad 7 to their designated point in the Wave Country. You will be given three days to arrive at said destination and twenty-four hours to collect all information regarding the situation. Report back by the end of week.

Third Hokage, Sarutobi

Sarutobi

With a short sigh, the masked man folded the letter for the last time. Lighting it, he quickly turned it to ashes and let the trash float to the paved path without a sound. Gloved hands tightened around the sling on his back and he leapt into the darkness.

Dark eyes narrowed as he jumped fluidly through the trees of Konoha's forest. Never once did he falter on the blinding path. The man had a task and he was going to carry it out without unnecessary breaks.

The image of his girl in pain flashed through his mind and his pace quickened, his jaw clenching in unreached fury. If anyone hurt her, he wanted to be the one to slit their throats. If something _worse_ happened to her, they were in for pain that would leave them begging for death.

Another sigh left his lips, taking with it some of the rage welling up. He could trust her judgment and her skills. She would be fine when he reached her.

_Hikari... What kind of trouble are you in this time?_

**Thirty-six hours** was all that separated him from her.

* * *

* * *

PS. Just to make things clear for the last part. They will arrive in…

1st group – three hours

2nd group – twelve hours

3rd group – twelve hours

Won't those be fun reunions?

Oh. And the date in the story by the way is July 18. Which means someone's birthday is just around the corner! If you don't know who I'm talking about...then I'll give you a little hint. Their name rhythms with........I can't think of anything. But it's almost Sasuke's birthday! (July 23)

-Thanks for all your reviews and support! I appreciate everything!


	29. Chapter 29: Distractions

Chapter 29: Distractions

Hikari's Pov

_Need to hurry…_ Carefully pouring the cool golden tea into a cup was very difficult and I couldn't get it to pour without irritating my injury. Furrowing my eyebrows, I was about to just completely ignore my hand and just pour when a noise came from the doorway.

"You need help, lady?"

I whirled around and was surprised to see the little kid from earlier. He looked highly disinterested in helping me out, by I didn't really have a choice right now. Using my good hand, I motioned him over quickly.

"That would be very nice of you." He started over. "And I would really appreciate it."

The kid shrugged and easily poured the tea into the little cup. He set down the pot and looked back to me smugly. I arched an eyebrow at him and went to reach for the cup when it was abruptly taken by Tsunami.

I nearly panicked when she brought it to her lips. "Wait! That's medical tea for sensei!" Her eyes instantly widened and the woman set it back down.

"Oh. Sorry about that." She grinned sheepishly and I let out a relieved sigh. That could have ended badly. "Do you want me to take it to him for you?" She gestured to my hand. "It would be better for everyone."

It only took me a second to think about it.

I could get Kakashi to drink it without suspicion. And all I had to do was let Tsunami bring it to him.

My smile was thankful and inside I was cheering my good luck. "Can you please, Tsunami?"

The woman nodded and took the cup before sliding the door open and entering Kakashi's room. I made sure to keep out of sight. My back brushed against the wall, my cheek pressed against it. If Kakashi sensed me, everything was over.

"What are you doing?" I froze.

I'd forgotten all about the boy in the room. He stared at me like I was crazy and I gazed back. I sidled along the wall until I was far from the door.

_Act Hikari. It's just a kid. _

Out of reflex, I rubbed the back of my head with my good hand sheepishly. His dark beady eyes still didn't leave me. His small arms folded over his chest.

"I was just uh…practicing my skills!" I put up a finger and grinned convincingly. "Yeah! I can't let Kakashi-sensei or anyone else see me or I fail my test!"

The boy scoffed and his eyes narrowed. "I can see you lady. You failed."

I hesitated at the sharp comeback. _Didn't see that coming. He sure has a mouth on him. _My hand fell back to my side and we both just looked at each other.

"Huh. Guess I did."

I took him off guard when I only shrugged and smiled. Dark eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed even further in confusion. Honestly, the look wasn't intimidating. If anything, it made him look like a pouting child.

I smiled. _He's just like Naruto…I think I'm going to like this kid. _

He flinched when I gently patted his striped hat. He tried to smack my hand away but it was already gone. My grin broadened at his feisty behavior, only fueling his glare.

"I'm impressed. You're a sharp boy." His eyes widened momentarily, but I caught the shock and disbelief inside. I raised my good hand again and smoothed out my bangs. "I mean it. You could grow up to be a great leader someday…You just need to work on that mouth of yours a bit."

Rolling his eyes, the boy scoffed. "Yeah, right. I'll fix that when you beat Gato."

My eyes widened. His smirk was all I needed to see.

The young boy didn't think that we could defeat the powerful billionaire. He didn't think we could win this fight. My eyes narrowed in determination. I was never one to back down from a challenge. This was no exception.

"Deal." I stuck out my hand and the boy blinked, clearly taken back. He looked at my hand then back to me, his expression unreadable.

Finally, he scoffed, but took my hand and shook it once reluctantly. "Fine lady, but I know you're gonna lose."

"It'll be my pleasure to prove you wrong." With that said, I turned back to the doorway. Was everything going as planned?

The boy gave me a sideways glance before walking to the sliding door. I nearly panicked when he started opening it.

"Stop worrying lady. I won't let them see you."

I hesitated, eyebrow arching. "Why would you care if they saw me?"

The kid smirked again and I refrained from rolling my eyes. He was a loud-mouth alright, but his cocky attitude was reminding me a whole lot of Sasuke from weeks ago. His hand gripped the sliding door firmly, the smirk growing.

"'Cause I want to win." He shrugged in a bored fashion. "And you'll need all the training you can get if you want _some _chance."

My eyes narrowed, albeit in mock anger, and he walked into the room with that same irritating smirk plastered on his face.

My shoulders slumped and I sighed. _Darn kid. _

The faint sound of sipping caught my attention.

Eyes widening I quickly cracked the door open a bit to look inside.

"What?! Are you stupid?! There's no such thing as a hero!" My eyes widened even further on the boy. What had just happened? What was he shouting about? Of course there were heroes.

"WHAT?!" Naruto stood up and waved his fist at the boy threateningly. Luckily, Sakura was able to grab him before he did anything stupid.

"Stop it, Naruto!" She shook him firmly, but the angered look was still marred on his face.

The small boy scoffed. "You should go home if you don't want to die."

Complete silence… I looked to each individual in turn to see their reactions. Tsunami and Tazuna looked bewildered that their son/grandson would say something like that to the ninja. Naruto's glare had increased ten-fold and Sakura's face looked a few shades paler. Sasuke leaned against the wall nearby, eyes intent but otherwise, he was unaffected.

Kakashi didn't have a chance to hear what he'd said.

He swayed forward before catching himself with one hand.

Sasuke caught the gesture and looked at our teacher sharply. "Kakashi?"

I watched him fall back, catching the knowing look in his eye before he fell unconscious. He knew that I was a threat to this mission and I couldn't let him reveal that. That would only cause panic and stress that we didn't need, especially with our team as weak as it was at the moment.

That was my time to enter. I could make it with all the panic setting in. I stood in the doorway, startling everyone but Tsunami and the boy when I spoke.

"It's alright, guys. The tea makes him sleep. He'll be better when he wakes up."

All eyes snapped towards me, most wide. Sasuke's own were narrowed, but they changed to normal when I looked over. What was he thinking? I made it in time, didn't I?

_I just hope that Sasori's temporary memory wipe works. If Kakashi wakes up and remembers everything, I'm going to be restrained for questioning in Konoha. _

Or worse.

The tension in the room was unbearable. Everyone seemed to be either staring at me or gazing with worry at our teacher. Fortunately, Tsunami released the tension when she reached for Kakashi cautiously. She felt his forehead before smiling up to me.

"Looks like your medical tea is working. His temper's gone down tremendously since this morning."

Smiling, I knelt beside her to confirm. All eyes on me.

_Why do they all keep staring? It's unnerving. _

Sasuke's scrutinizing look was the hardest to ignore.

...

Later that Night…

"The shower's all yours, Saku-." The kunochi was out the door before I could finish. I grinned and shook my head at her antics. Naruto and Sasuke had taken a long time and there was only one shower in the house . It was already going on midnight.

The rest of the day had been hard. I was forced to act like everything was perfectly normal and that I was completely innocent in all that I did. It wasn't easy. It's not going to be easy to continue. I felt like every step I took was numbered, as if one false step would pull me under.

Fear and worry would rise in my chest every time I caught a look from my teammates. Every once and a while, one of them would look at me with a question in their eyes. It wasn't a hostile look, but the expression of curious interest was unnerving.

It was even harder to act normal with Sasuke trailing me. Sometimes he made it blatantly obvious by just walking and talking with me, other times he tried to observe me from a hiding place. I always detected him in those places, but I never called him out.

I needed him to trust me more than he trusted Kakashi… that task was already finished.

Now, I just needed him to put more faith in my actions. I know he trusts me now.

I tossed my dirty clothes into a corner for later. I stepped in front of the mirror and let out a shaky breath.

Nervous fingers lifted. I hesitated, but slowly untied the robe. It slid to the floor and revealed my bare body.

Every time I looked at my figure, I was amazed. For all the battles I'd been in, all the fights, brawls, and conflicts, I only had one scar.

And that one scar was laced across my skin before I had my first training session.

A birthmark perhaps. I'd never know.

It sliced right over my heart. A weird place for the mark? Definitely. But I didn't question it. It didn't cause any pain so the only problem was physical appearance and even then, I didn't care. It was only visible if someone was looking for it. Hardly anyone knew about it anyway.

My chest however, was a very noticeable thing. It was a sickly purple color all around the ribcage area. The coloration wrapped around my body and ended at the middle of my back.

I poked it, tensing when it shot a pain through me.

The bones were healing well, but it would still be a few days until they would be completely sealed together.

I groaned when the simple twist of my body was painful. Fracturing bones was annoying and I was glad that this was the first time it had happened.

Sighing, I let my hands rest just beneath my breasts and called upon a powerful healing jutsu. Soft green light surrounded my hands and the purple color slowly vanished. I felt so much better. The bones were tightly fixed (not completely healed though) and the swelling was down.

_Good. Just a few more days and I'll be back in perfect condition._

_Cough!_

My eyes widened and I quickly picked my robe up from the ground. I wrapped it around my body hurriedly and sprinted to the window across the room. It slammed open and I shot my head out into the darkness.

There was nothing.

…Hmm…

"I know I heard something..."

Footsteps padded down the wooden porch. At this hour?

I turned to the right and to my surprise, I found my favorite knuckle-headed ninja walking along the porch, head bowed. Blinking against the night, I narrowed my eyes at him in question.

"Naruto?"

"Wah!" His head jerked up, his eyes wide. "Oh! Hey Hikari!"

"Naruto, what are you doing out here? It's late. You should get some rest."

"Oh, uh, right!" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I was just waiting for that jerk, Sasuke to let me in the room." His eyes dilated. "He locked the door and won't let me in! I don't know what the heck his problem is!"

"Hmm…maybe it has to do with you "accidently" eating all the lasagna at dinner."

"That really was an accident! Tsunami said it was all for me!"

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "She was kidding, you dork!"

He crossed his arms and stood in front of me with a pout. "I thought she was serious."

"It was a whole pan! Sakura and I had to run to town to get take out because there was nothing left! And you even ate my leftovers too!"

Naruto's pout increased and he mumbled something about "that idiot Sasuke" and "stupid sarcasm" under his breath.

"He didn't have to lock the door on me…I kind of need some clothes beside this bathrobe thing." His eyes traveled to my own robe and he blushed furiously. "Oh…uh. I guess you need to get dressed too. I-uh. I'll go see if it's unlocked yet, so uhm. Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Right." Grinning, I reached out and ruffled his hair gently. "Get some rest. We're going to be leaving soon."

"Uh…alright. N-Night, Hikari."

"Goodnight Naruto!" I waved after his quickly retreating form, giggling at how his face had burned red when he saw what I was wearing.

_Hmm. Guess it was only Naruto passing by…but he didn't seem off edge. He didn't see me without my robe on. Good. That would have been a little awkward. _

I shut the window and reached for my nightgown. Stripping the robe again, I swiftly put it on.

My head band was already untied and I pulled it out of my robe pocket and set it on top of the vanity before I threw the robe into the pile of dirty clothes. I let my damp hair lay over my shoulders and onto the purple night gown. My necklace was soon unclasped and it slipped down to sit in my palm.

I grinned down to it, running my fingers over the beautiful fan design. It was gorgeous.

_My first birthday present…_ _I was so happy when Sasuke gave me this…_

My eyes closed and I took in a breath. Could I look inside without feeling pain? I doubted it.

I opened the locket.

Two pictures laid inside. One on the left, the other on the right, each holding a precious moment.

On the left was a picture of me and Sasuke.

Back when we were smaller. Little Sasuke was on my back, his smile blinding and his grip tight around my neck.

My face was a little more disfigured.

My mouth and eyes were wide open and my hands were flinging about as I tried to stop myself from falling. Sasuke had just jumped on me and I wasn't expecting it. Itachi had snapped the picture, knowing exactly what was happening.

I laughed lightly at the memory.

My eyes wouldn't leave the young Uchiha's face for several moments. All the lines of worry and anger didn't exist back then. Only his bright smile and his outgoing spirit.

He was so cute when he was little.

_You're not even two years older, Hikari. You were little back then too._

…True enough.

The right picture made my breath catch.

I put a hand to my mouth to stifle the cry but my eyes watered no matter what I did.

It was a picture of me and Itachi.

We were at the meadow talking one afternoon after training. We had both ended up lying down for a nap. Somehow, we ended up together.

His strong, left arm wrapped tightly around my waist, holding me flesh against his firm torso. The top of my head fit perfectly under his chin, my nose tickling his throat. My arms wound around his neck, pressing me against him even further, and my small hands were strung in his silky hair.

Small, happy smiles in our sleep.

We were both happy. You could see it in the freaking picture!

One tear dripped down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away.

_No more crying, Hikari. Move. On. Itachi Uchiha doesn't feel that way for you anymore. You've got to let it go. _

My smile and chuckle were only mocking. Mocking to my own thoughts.

I sat back in the vanity's small chair, head hanging over the top. My eyes trained on the ceiling, not really taking it in while I stayed with my thoughts.

_Wow…I haven't thought about Itachi like this these last few weeks. At least not as much as usual. Even so, he still managed to get one little tear out of me and he wasn't even here to do it himself. I don't know what's been going on between us, but it seems that he's actually, honestly trying to build a relationship with me. Is that even possible? Itachi Uchiha wanting to be my friend again? …But why would he start now? That doesn't make any sense. … Hmm. Maybe the stress level of performing so much has finally made him insane. _

I chuckled lightly when a mental picture of a crazy looking Itachi popped up in my head. I shook my head swiftly and sat up in the chair properly.

_Back on topic, Hikari. You need to find out what he's up to. He isn't the kind of person to wake up and decide one day that he wants to be "friends" with someone. He plans everything out to the very last detail. He's thorough in absolutely everything that requires encounters with other people. This isn't any different. What is he planning? …How long has he been planning? Could he have known that Pein was going to send us to Konoha? _

I sighed irritably and shut my eyes. "Whatever he's planning can't be discovered right now. Maybe when I get back to Konoha."

_If you can even walk around freely when you return. Who knows what will happen between now and then. Having an infinite supply of memory wipe potions wouldn't support anything. Kakashi would grow suspicious that much faster if he had to keep taking them even after he recovered. I don't know I'm going to do when that time comes. _

_**What **_**can**_** I do? **_

There was a faint knocking at the door. "Hikari?"

I jumped at the familiar voice and quickly stuffed my necklace in the vanity's drawer, shutting it loudly.

I didn't realize that part of the clasp was hanging out…

Whirling in the chair, I stood quickly, knocking a vase over on a chest, but I quickly caught it, placed it back on the table, ran to the door and opened it. "Hey Sasuke!"

Sure enough, the Uchiha stood in the doorway, eyes fixated straight ahead. His hands were folded over the deep blue bathrobe, much like the one I had been given, he had received from Tsunami. I must have looked a mess because he looked at me strangely, eyebrow arched.

I let go of the door and twiddled my fingers in front of me, looking to the floor.

"So umm…you need something?"

"Yeah…it's about Kakashi. "

I nearly froze. _Oh no. _

I gave the boy a curious look, tilting my head in innocent confusion."What about him? Is something wrong. You need me to check up on him?"

His look was just as questioning when he responded. "No... Tsunami asked when she should give him more of the…medicine."

"Oh. Um. Well I'll show her how to make it in the morning and we can give it to him then. That it?" I saw his mouth begin to open, but I didn't let him speak. "No? Alright then. I guess I'll see you in the morning. 'Night Sasuke."

A hand curling around the door kept me from shutting it. Brown eyes met with black as he took a step forward. His hand stayed firm when I pushed a little harder. Eyes narrowing, he fully stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

My own eyes twitched in irritation. "You need something?" When he didn't answer, I shrugged and sat down on my bed. "If you don't, can you please go? I really need to get some sleep. I've been missing out these past few nights."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Hm?"

The bed dipped down when he sat beside me. He looked at me with a mixture of concern and suspicion, an expression I didn't care for.

"Ever since dinner, you've been acting depressed."

I narrowed my eyes. "How are we all supposed to feel? We just found out that Zabuza is most likely alive and after all our hard work..."

I had been filled in on what my team and Tazuna discussed in my absence, all of it unsurprising. I'd heard it all before, but I was now fully aware that this situation was getting more complicated by the second. Everything was stacking up.

They all knew I had a connection to the masked boy.

They all felt a sympathy for me that I didn't deserve, thinking that a friend had betrayed me.

How ironic. _I'm _the one they feel sorry for. If they only knew better.

I had deliberately lied to Sasuke and promised something completely false.

Kakashi knew that I was betraying Konoha and I would eventually have to stop giving him the memory wipe potions.

I was still lying to everyone about who I was and our enemy could expose me at any second.

I was the current leader until Kakashi recovered.

I had to make sure that my teammates didn't kill each other.

I needed to make sure that Kakashi continued to forget.

I had to keep up this façade.

My heart was aching to see everyone back at the HQ. I really wanted to go home right now and talk with Deidara and Sasori. Especially with Pein. I needed to sort out all my feelings for everything.

AND…I had to deal with all the stress in everything by myself.

I couldn't handle all this much longer. So many secrets. So many lies.

_I need to be alone to clear my head. I need to plan and put things into sequence, get some things straightened out before I move forward. _

I let out a breath and managed a small grin to Sasuke. "…I guess I shouldn't be acting this way. You all have to deal with it too. I'm being selfish."

He shook his head and rested a hand on my shoulder. He squeezed it once in sympathy. "Maybe. But you're role in all this is more…stressful than ours. You have more to think about."

I chuckled lightly. _You have no idea._

"Yeah... I guess. I just need some time to clear my head. Sorry to snap at you."

He only nodded. "I understand. You don't need to apologize."

Smiling, I stood up and grabbed my bag. I set it behind the dressing wall and started to strip out of my bathrobe once again to put on the other clothes.

"Yeah, I do. I'm gonna get dressed in my night clothes, put on a coat, and some slippers, and take a short walk along the ocean. It'll clear my head."

Sasuke stood and his gaze shifted to the window, giving me privacy. "You want to go now? It's late and it's too dark."

"But the dark is calming. It'll make me feel better." I tied the last string and threw on a sweatshirt before stepping out from the wall to put on the warm shoes. "You coming?"

"You want me to?"

"Sure. Besides, Naruto's probably plotting some sort of revenge for you locking him out of his room."

The Uchiha smirked. "Probably...I'll be back."

I let out a sigh when he left the room. Why had I asked him to come with me? This was supposed to be a time to _clear _my head. Not fill it up again!

"Uggh…ah well. It'll still be calming. Walking along the beach with the moon hanging in the sky and all the sparkling stars... And it'll just be the two of us. _Finally._"

I desperately needed some peace and quiet time to think. He probably needed to get away from the others before he ripped their heads off too.

I chuckled at that and quickly scribbled down a note for Sakura then set it on her bed. I could just imagine her face when she read that Sasuke and I were taking a walk. Hopefully she didn't come storming down the shore to find us.

I shuffled out of the room and slid the door shut behind me. The boys' room was just down the hall and Sasuke was quickly stepping out and shutting the door, a smirk on his face. A resounding _bang _and cursing followed from inside the room. I think the thrown object shattered. I arched an eyebrow curiouly.

He sighed and stuffed his hands in his new black sweatshirt's pockets. "Naruto's a total moron."

Smiling, I led the way to the door. "He's always good for a laugh. Did you tell him we were going out?"

I noticed that he stuttered before speaking. "G-going out? …No. It's none of his concern."

He fell in step with me as we rounded the corner.

"Let's hope he doesn't go searching the whole island for you, then."

"Psh. Why would he do that? We hate each other."

Yet, I could see a faint light in his eyes when he spoke of the other boy. I grinned. Naruto was finally getting to him in his own way. The same thing was working the other way too. Lately, I was seeing traces of friendship spark between and I was glad.

They needed each other.

"Hey… Where're you two goin' so late?" Tazuna's voice was slurred and we knew he'd been drinking again…and heavily at that. At least half a dozen empty sake bottles were scattered around the couch he sat on.

I flashed him a grin and gestured to the ocean a half mile down the path. "We're just going to take a little walk along the ocean to clear our heads. We should be back within an hour. Tell Naruto if you need anything. He'll find us."

The older man let out a loud belch and I wrinkled my nose in disgust. He laughed heartily and dropped his bottle by the others.

"Takin' a walk? Just the two of ya? Haha! I doubt walkin's all you two'll be doin' at this time of night! You better only be kissin'! You're only a couple of brats, so no othastuff, 'k Sasuke?"

My whole body flushed crimson.

Sasuke's did too.

_OH. MY. GOD. _

"Hehe. Well, 'night lovebirds. I'mma goin' to hit the stack. Have fun with each otha ."

And with that pleasant little greeting, he left the room.

Sasuke and I stood didn't move from our spots.

I don't know if I could.

……_Wha…what did he say? Did he just-? Me and Sasuke and THAT? HOLY CRAP! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT MAN THINKING! I'M FOURTEEN! HE'S THIRTEEN! WE'RE NOT EVEN IN A RELATIONSHIP! WHY WOULD HE EVEN IMPLY THAT WE WERE GOING TO GO OUT AND HAVE…HAVE….HAVE THAT?! I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF SASUKE KNOWS WHAT _**THAT**_ IS?!_

I dared a look at the Uchiha from the corner of my eye and knew something instantly.

He knew about the "other stuff" Tazuna was referring to.

His cheeks were painted a fiery red and his eyes were as wide as china plates, mouth gaping. He looked completely frozen in place and I didn't blame him. I probably looked the same.

His lips parted, but nothing coherent came out except for a few choked sounds, "I-I-I…"

I looked to my feet, trying so hard to force down the blush. "I-um…well…um uh…you wanna hurry up and go now?"

He manage a nod, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and shuffled slowly after me.

* * *

It was dead silent the first ten minutes of our walk. Only the sound of the waves and the occasional call of a seagull broke the barrier.

We but stood as close to the edge as possible without being in the sand. The last thing I wanted was to fill my slippers with the grainy stuff. Sasuke seemed to have the same train of thought.

After another ten minutes, I finally spoke up.

"So…what do you think about Kakashi training us in his condition?"

His gaze shifted from the sand to me. "…It'll be interesting. I'm wondering what exactly he plans to show us. Hopefully something useful. All the kunai and shuriken training and those constant spars with Naruto are getting boring."

I chuckled. "Is the great Uchiha Sasuke _complaining_?"

He scoffed and shoved me with his shoulder. My eyes crinkled in mirth and I quickly stepped back to walking in synch with him. He was in a good mood, despite the awkward comment earlier.

"You're getting sick of it too, you loser."

I laughed again and playfully cuffed him in the back of the head. "Hey! I thought we were passed the whole "loser" stage in our friendship."

He smirked. "Not until you stop acting like one. So…never then."

I narrowed my eyes playfully. "You are such a jerk sometimes, Sasuke."

"And you're an annoying brat all the time."

"Love you too."

I steadied the boy when he tripped over a large rock that was hidden in the dark. My hand clasped around his shoulder and I threw him an amused smirk.

"Watch it."

"Hn." He moved away from me and stuffed his hands deeper into his sweatshirt's pocket's, hair shadowing his eyes.

We continued in a companionable silence for a while longer. I for one was enjoying the peaceful night. The light breeze and smell of the sea was soothing to my heart. Just walking under the silver moon made me feel so much lighter. I took in a deep breath, inhaling it all in. It was perfect outside.

"Hikari…"

"Hmm?"

"About earlier... what Tazuna was saying."

I felt my cheeks flush crimson once again and I waved a hand as if to ward it off.

"Pfft. Don't take any of it to heart Sasuke. That man was drunk out of his mind."

He nodded.

I felt his eyes shift over to me seconds later. "Drunkenness usually brings out the truth…Tazuna thinks we're together..."

"Well…we have kissed before..."

This talk was getting rather uncomfortable. I wasn't sure if I enjoyed talking to Sasuke about this, especially since _he _was the one who Tazuna had implied that I might be kissing.

Or more.

God, no.

A thought struck me and I laughed lightly. He arched an eyebrow when I sat down on a nearby boulder. He stopped in front of me, his back to the sea and eyes intently staring to his left.

I kicked my legs back and forth like a happy little kid and held myself up with my hands at my sides.

"I was just thinking about how Sakura would feel if we _were_ a couple. Or better yet, all the girls in the village." I made myself look completely horrified. "I think I'd be murdered in my sleep."

He scoffed. "If we were together, I wouldn't let any of those girls near you." His eyes shifted to me, half lidded. "…Or those guys you're always around."

I laughed. "An overprotective boyfriend, hm? Gosh…I'd love that…most of the time."

"Most of the time?"

"Of course. I mean…there would have to be some ground rules in our relationship, right? And one of those would be that I'm allowed to see Shikamaru, Neji, and Naruto."

He smirked, as if he thought of this conversation as a challenge to his male pride.

"When I allowed you to."

I narrowed my own eyes in acceptance of the challenge.

"You think you could tell me what to do, Mr. Uchiha?"

"…Yes. As your lover, _I _would be the _only _boy you could give attention to."

"Hm…and that would mean that I would be the only girl you would be allowed to even glance at." I leaned in slightly. "And if I caught you looking at anyone else, I'd beat you to a pulp."

"Hn. I wouldn't do that to my girlfriend. I'm not a pervert like all the other guys in the village."

"They're not all like that! There are…some, who I've found acceptable."

I missed his dark eyes flash in rage when I gazed up to the moon.

"Like who? Not one guy has looked at you without thinking something dirty."

"And how would you know that? Do you and the guys have "secret meetings" about girls or something?"

His eyes moved to the ocean, a grimace setting in. The darkness covered up his reddening face.

"…It's not that hard to see, you moron! You're just oblivious."

"Ugh. Why would they all stare at me like that? It's not like I'm any prettier than all the other girls."

"Are you blind?"

My eyes widened.

Both of our eyes connected in that moment. His were burning with a fire I had never seen in them before. And a single emotion in them was so intense that I almost reeled back.

_Desire. _

He took a step closer to me, hands clenching in his pockets.

"You're the most beautiful girl that has ever stepped into Konoha. _Anyone _could tell you that. Kakashi and the dobe would even admit it if you asked."

I felt an overwhelming urge of shyness sweep over me and I was forced to lower my gaze to my lap.

"…And if I asked you?"

"…I'd say the same."

He'd stepped closer and my head snapped up. He was still a few feet away, but it looked like he was still coming closer. My heart thundered against my chest and I couldn't breathe. It felt like my heart was burning.

His eyes had smoldered and he took one more step forward.

What was happening?

Whatever he had been planning to do was sorely interrupted when I felt two powerful surges of chakra closing in quickly.

Both of which I recognized immediately.

I threw my head to the side, startling Sasuke (who had come a lot closer) and widened my eyes in amazement. Was it really-?

I was answered when I was roughly pulled up from the rock and pressed tightly against a strong chest. Strong arms embraced me around the shoulders and waist and his chin nuzzled into the top of my head.

I responded immediately. I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed tightly, getting as close to him as possible.

"Hikari… god I missed you." His grip tightened and I nodded into his chest, happiness flooding over. I felt tears prick in my eyes and I nuzzled closer to him and reeled in the feeling of my heart's sudden joy.

"I'm happy to see you too, Dei. I missed you so, so much."

The hug only lasted for another few seconds before Sasuke interrupted quite loudly.

"Who the heck are you?!" And he didn't sound happy either.

"Relax boy, we are not your enemies."

That voice.

I turned my head to the right and was ecstatic when I saw sharp jade eyes glaring at me, a warmth inside only meant for me.

But I also recognized the many differences. His hair was cleanly cut and was a sharp, jet black color. His height had increased to nearly six foot and his body was evidently muscular beneath his blue and white outfit.

Hm? _If Sasori's different, then what's Deidara…?_

I tilted my head from his shoulder and stared up at the boy. My eyes widened and I gasped.

His face had not changed. What was he thinking?!

His hair was different though. It was now a dusty dark brown with streaks of black in some places. Instead of being long, it was just medium length and untamed. It stood out nearly in spikes and stopped right below his chin. His left eye was still covered by a thick bang.

His body looked more fit than usual, but that could have just been the clothes he was wearing. The tight, white muscle shirt was sleeveless and it hugged every muscle, and showed his strong his arms. Fingerless gloves with metal bracers rose to his elbows on both arms.

But his _face _was the same!!!

Deidara slowly loosened his grip and shot Sasuke a smirk over my head. His arms still held me flush to his chest and I barely managed to turn my head to my left to see my friend.

"Little brat. What were you planning to do with that, un?"

A kunai -where the heck did he get that?!- was tightly held in his hand, his other one clenching in a breaking force. He looked absolutely livid.

"Let. Her. Go," he seethed, getting in a battle ready stance. His eyes flickered to Sasori a few feet to his right, but then his gaze went right back to the man holding me.

I knew that he knew he was outnumbered, he possibly even admitted to himself that he was outmatched. Deidara's smirk was challenging and nothing good would come out of that look.

Instead of heading Sasuke's words, Deidara's grip around me tightened once again, his hand gently pressing my head to crook of his neck. My cheeks burned at such close contact with a man.

"And if I don't? What are you going to do about it, yeah?" Deidara chuckled and nodded his head towards the kunai in the boy's. "Try and kill me with that little knife? In case you haven't noticed, there are two of us, yeah. You wouldn't stand a chance."

I felt a deadly aura resonate from the Uchiha and I grimaced widely. This was going to get real ugly, real fast if something wasn't done.

"Dayeron. Release her. We're not here to start a fight." The puppet master's voice cut straight through the night, leaving no room for disobedience.

Deidara scoffed at his teammate, but reluctantly let me go…after one more tight squeeze. I stumbled back a few steps at the loss of contact and Sasori gave the two of us an amused grimace..

"Hehehe. No…but it's still fun to torment the kid."

If possible, Sasuke's eyes narrowed even further and I swore he was about to tackle Deidara. I quickly stepped away from the now brunette man and stood back at Sasuke's side. He took a step in front of me defensively and gave the two shinobi in front of us wary looks.

Sasori and Deidara stared right back, though Deidara's look was more smug than the former. Sasori kept his more mature face calm and stoic.

Sasuke's teeth clinched when Deidara chuckled. His grip on the kunai tightened and I knew for sure that he was ready for a fight.

Before he could jump, I gripped his wrist firmly, barely holding him back.

"Wait Sasuke! They're my friends!"

He glanced at me sharply, eyes searching my own for sincerity. My own widened when he glared back at the two men, clearly not trusting them.

Deidara opened his mouth to speak, but Sasori and I quickly shut him up with a look. He rolled his eyes but remained silent. I knew he understood how important it was to gain the trust of this person, especially if he had been eavesdropping on us. He would see how close we were.

Sasuke finally came up with his decision when he reluctantly tucked his kunai back in his sweatshirt pocket.

"…Hn." He glared with a deadly sharpness back at two men, but his stance was less hostile. With a scoff, he crossed his arms and closed his moved his eyes to the moon. "Whatever."

I sighed in relief and looked back to the others.

…My relief was immediately ripped away.

Deidara's eyes were wide and completely blank…not _too_ unnatural.

But Sasori's were the same.

Something was _very_ wrong.

They both stared at Sasuke with a newfound knowledge…And that's when it all clicked.

They knew who this scowling boy was…and all because of his glare.

"...Sasuke."

Immediate panic flared in me and my eyes flickered from Deidara to Sasori. The man had made the same deduction. His eyes narrowed, burning fire.

"_**Uchiha**_."

Sasuke's eyes flared. "What of it?"

Both Akatsuki members looked at him in utter disbelief, then looked to me and I could only nod.

They knew Itachi's secret…

**This was bad.**


End file.
